In the Shadow of the Moon
by ImmortalDarkRose
Summary: How do you make friends when you have a terrible secret? Join Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter in their 2nd year at Hogwarts, as lifelong friendships and rivalries are forged. Also features Lucius, Severus, and the Slytherin gang. R&R, please. Complete.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer: All the characters here belong to J.K. Rowling, I'm merely borrowing them and taking them back to the beginning. The lyrics belong to the song "Doubt" by Bella Morte.

****

In the Shadow of the Moon

__

Would I call your name  
Through the ruins of emptied halls?  
Could I see your face  
Within passions yet unborn?  
Speak fragile truths into the air  
So new and cold  
Could I lie to you?  
Could I live this life alone?

Remus Lupin's pale gray eyes flickered over the battered book in his hand, devouring it whole, as they always did when the 2nd year Gryffindor was reading a good book. He was completely oblivious to the world around him, even to the table of Slytherins being chastised by the librarian for laughing uproariously at a Hufflepuff, who had mysteriously found himself under the jelly-legs jinx.

Long fingers turned the page, and he continued to read in silence, his lips silently mouthing the words to his favorite passage. Dipping a bedraggled quill into a half-empty pot of ink, he ran the tip of it along a clean piece of parchment.

_Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player_

_That struts and frets its hour upon the stage_

_And then is heard no more; it is a tale_

_Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,_

_Signifying nothing_

"Signifying nothing," he murmured to himself. Wizards and witches could say what they wanted about the muggle world, but this William Shakespeare wrote beautifully. Remus smiled slightly and flipped back a few pages.

When the book was suddenly pulled away, he reacted in his usual style. He blinked and looked up.

A vaguely familiar boy grinned at him, dark eyes dancing. He plopped down on the edge of the table and made a great show of looking at the title of the book.

"_Macbeth_? Merlin's arse, what's this?"

Remus felt his face flush hotly.

"It's nothing," he muttered quickly, his eyes downcast.

"Right." The boy gave him a knowing look and jumped up on the table, book opened in front of him, one hand pressed dramatically against his heart. "To bed, to bed! There's knocking at the gate: come, come, come, come, give me your hand. What's done cannot be undone…."

"Mr. Black!" Madame Pince stalked over to the table, hands on her hips. "Just what do you think you're doing?"

"I'm reading," he replied innocently, lowering the book.

"Well, well. First time for everything, it seems." She crossed her arms over her chest and eyed the Gryffindor boy standing on her precious table. "Maybe you'd like to give a recital in detention. I'm sure Filch would enjoy such a sterling performance."

"Do you think so?" Sirius pursed his lips and pretended to give her suggestion some serious thought. "Hmm. I do live to brighten Filch's day, I really do." He looked at Pince with a pout. "Does that mean you don't like it?"

"Get down," she replied between gritted teeth.

"But I just got up here."

Remus watched in open-mouthed silence, with a mixture of awe and complete horror. He blinked at Sirius and then looked over at Madame Pince.

"Get. Down. NOW!"

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Do keep your voice down, please. This is a library after all."

Madame Pince stomped her foot in frustration and raised one trembling finger, jabbing it in the air between her and Sirius. "That's it, Mr. Black. Week's detention, starting now."

"Right this very minute?"

"YES!"

"But I just managed to sneak out of detention…oh, very well." Sirius jumped down from the table and grinned at Remus as he tossed him his book. It had long since soared past him and crashed into the wall before Remus realized he was supposed to try and catch it.

"See you around, Macbeth." Sirius winked at Remus, ignoring Madame Pince's pointed throat clearing. He leaned on the table for a moment, lowering his voice into a stage whisper. "She looks like a ruddy teapot, doesn't she? I expect there will be steam billowing out of her ears at any moment."

"Out, out, out!" Madame Pince hissed. The table of Slytherins shushed her with a snicker, as did the rest of the students lounging around the darkened library. Sirius just laughed, made a little bow, and darted out of the library just as Madame Pince moved to throw a book at him.

Remus heard one chuckle continue on, even as the chorus of laughter died down. It had a pleasant ring to it, and he continued to hear it, even as Madame Pince turned her glare toward him.

"Something funny, Mr. Lupin?"

"N-no," he stammered, finding it hard to talk through the laughter. And then he realized what he was doing. He was laughing. He was laughing in the hallowed, silence-is-golden library.

The thought of he, Remus Lupin, laughing maniacally in the _library_ caused him to howl all the louder, tears springing to his eyes. Madame Pince's face, which had faded to a miffed pink, quickly deepened once again into an enraged red.

"That's it!" she seethed. "Get yourself to detention."

The laughter ended abruptly. Remus looked at her with wide eyes and blinked. "D-detention?"

"Would you prefer expulsion?"

"No! N-no, of course not." Swallowing thickly, he stood up and nervously toyed with his ink well and quill. Detention. He had never had a detention, not ever. He just wasn't the detention type. Surely Madame Pince knew that…maybe if he apologized….

"You have THREE seconds to get out of my library and to detention, Laughs, or I will make sure that you _never_ set foot in this library again!"

That was the ultimate threat. Without a word of protest, Remus bolted out of the library, upsetting the inkpot, and leaving _Macbeth_ to become better acquainted with the floor.

* * *

"Look who's 'ere." Filch grinned, exposing his rotted, yellow teeth in all their hideous glory. He patted Mrs. Norris lovingly. "Looks like Blackie can't learn a lesson, don't it, love?"

"Hello, Filch old boy," Sirius said pleasantly. "You're looking exceptionally unwashed today."

Filch sneered at him, eyeing Sirius as a rabid dog would eye an unsuspecting kitten.

"I oughta hang you by your smug thumbs and let you dangle over the dung pile," Filch mused out loud.

"That sounds fascinating, truly. Didn't we do that last week?"

"I wish," Filch grumbled wistfully. He glared at Sirius. "Let's see 'ere. You skipped out on detention, only to get another one. What _are_ we going to do with you?"

Sirius shrugged. "I'm sure you'll think of _something_."

"Damn right I will." Filch grinned with a relish. "I got the perfect task for you."

A winded Remus Lupin came rushing up, his light brown hair hanging in his eyes, his gray eyes downcast.

"What do you want?" Filch muttered, glaring at the intruder.

Remus lowered his head even more and mumbled something under his breath.

"Speak up, boy, I ain't the floor."

Remus sighed and raised his head.

"Reporting for detention, sir."

Filch raised an eyebrow, and Sirius gave Remus a sidelong glance.

"Detention? You?" Filch let out a bark of laughter. "This must be my lucky day."

Remus swallowed thickly and grew noticeably paler. Sirius heartily clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him to the ground.

"Don't fret, Macbeth. Filch is just an old softie, deep down. Aren't you, Filch?"

"Ha!" Filch sneered, his sunken eyes glowing with mirth. "You're in for a rare treat, boys. A rare treat indeed."

Both boys stared blankly at the two objects Filch pulled out of his patched pocket.

"Why are you caring those around? You obviously don't use one."

Filch shoved a toothbrush into Sirius's hand, and then into Remus's.

"I'm going to introduce you a good friend of mine, brats."

"You have a friend?"

"Oh, yes, Blackie boy. We're real close. Do you want to meet him?"

"Not particularly."

Filch looked at Remus.

"Uh, sure. Sure, I'd love to meet your friend."

Filch grinned. "Follow me, brats. And don't dawdle." Wordlessly, Remus fell into step behind Filch, followed closely by Sirius, who whistled a merry little tune. Wandering students called out to Sirius and waved, and he waved back jovially. A pair of Gryffindor boys, one tall and skinny, the other short and plump, seemed to be extra amused, and laughed loudly as they passed.

Filch lead the pair deeper and deeper into the bowels of the castle. Remus started to get a little nervous, but Sirius only increased the volume and pitch of his whistling.

Filch stopped in front of a dark, peeling door at the far end of the hallway directly above the dungeons. Giving the boys a withering glance, he opened the door and gestured for them to enter.

"Did you invite us home for tea?" Sirius asked offhandedly, glancing around the abysmally dank and squalid room that Filch called home. "Told you he's a softie, Macbeth."

"Where's your, uh, friend?" Remus asked apprehensively, wrinkling his nose at the stench invading his nostrils.

Filch inclined his head toward a door at the far end of the room. "He's in there."

Remus looked at Sirius. Sirius grinned, shrugged, and led the way across the room, opening the door Filch had gestured at.

"Your wands."

Remus plunged his hand into the pocket of his robe, his fingers curling protectively around his wand. Why did he want their wands? Who was this friend?

"Is that necessary, Filch old boy?"

"Oh, yes. Wands, or three months detention."

Sirius casually handed over his wand and nudged Remus, who slowly pulled his own wand out of his pocket.

Filch's smile widened. "In you go, boys."

"What's your friend's name?" Remus whispered, peering into the dark, closet sized room.

"John." Laughing gleefully, Filch shoved both of the boys into the room, shutting the door behind them. Caught unaware, Remus tripped over the edge of his robe and stumbled to his knees. Sirius, shoved in directly behind him, fell over him and landed with a thud and a muttered oath.

"It's dark as a tomb in here, Filch!" Sirius called out. "I can't see a bloody thing!"

"There's a lamp. Pretend you're on a treasure hunt." Both boys heard the clicking of a lock and then a muffled series of footsteps before a door slammed.

"Crazy git," Sirius muttered. "You all right, Macbeth?"

"It's Remus. And I'm fine." He squinted into the darkness and made out a few shadowy shapes. "I think the lamp is to your left."

"Bugger me, you must have quite a pair of eyes. Can you get to it?"

"I think so." Remus crawled across the damp floor toward the object that was roughly shaped like an oil lamp. His fingers fumbled over it, nearly sending it crashing to the ground. He trailed his fingers over the ground next to it, searching for muggle matches. When he found them, he tried to recall how they were used. Remembering something from muggle studies class, he pulled a match from the box and struck it against the side of it. A flame immediately flared up, and Remus quickly pressed it against the wick of the oil lamp.

"Oh, bloody hell."

"What?" Remus turned around, and then he saw where they were.

They were in the filthiest, dingiest, most decrepit bathroom he had ever seen. He looked at Sirius, and Sirius looked back.

"I think I know who 'John' is," Remus murmured under his breath.

"Who?"

He pointed to the toilet. Caked in years worth of grime, enough to make even the most devout house elf run screaming into the night.

Sirius's dark eyes widened. "You have got to be kidding me."

Remus swallowed down the sudden horrified lump in his throat. "I'm afraid not. 'John' is a slang term some muggles use for, well, the commode."

Sirius raked his fingers through his thick dark hair as he stared bleakly at the toilet. "I'm not touching that thing."

Remus wordlessly picked up the bucket perched next to the rusted sink and started to fill it with water. A fresh cake of soap, obviously never touched, was plucked from the sink and tossed into the bucket. He then heaved the bucket into his arms and carried it over to the toilet, sinking to his knees to place it on the moldy floor.

The two boys sat together in silence for a long moment.

"We're supposed to scrub that thing."

"Yes."

"With these toothbrushes."

"Yes."

"Without magic."

"So it would seem."

"Right." Sirius stared at the filthy toilet. Remus fiddled with the hem of his robe.

"I don't suppose you want to try to break down the door?"

"It's worth a shot." Remus looked up at Sirius, and Sirius grinned.

Two seconds later, both boys were attacking the door, shouting at the top of their lungs. As Sirius rammed his shoulder against the door, with the help of a running start, Remus pummeled it with his fists.

By the time Sirius had gone hoarse, and Remus had managed to inflict more damage to his fists than to the stubborn door, they came to the conclusion that escape was impossible. Remus slumped down in the corner and rubbed his bruised flesh. Sirius paced back and forth.

The toilet remained ominously silent, as did Sirius and Remus.

"We could just get it over and done with," Remus finally suggested, studying the rainbow array of purples blooming along the side of his hand.

Sirius came to a halt. Glaring viciously at the toilet, he ripped off his robe and tossed it aside.

"W-what are you doing?" Remus stammered, his face reddening.

"Merlin's arse, Remus, I rather not burn my entire wardrobe tonight. At least flesh is washable. Granted, it will take at least ten boiling showers to get the Filch germs off…." He glared again at the toilet and started to loosen his red and gold tie.

Remus lowered his gaze, suddenly entranced by a loose thread dangling from his sleeve. He wrapped it around his finger and gave it a sharp tug.

"Stupid prat. I'd like to shove his face in that toilet," Sirius muttered under his breath, working the buttons on his uniform shirt. He yanked it off and added it to the pile.

"He probably drinks out of it already." Remus watched his sleeve slowly begin to unravel as he continued to tug on the loose thread.

"You're right, he probably does. I wouldn't put it past him." Sirius smirked and unbuttoned his pants, pulling them down around his ankles. Hopping from one foot to the other, he tugged them off completely. He then looked down at his underwear and nodded. "There we go, all the important bits covered."

Remus chanced an upward glance, and if he hadn't been so horribly embarrassed, he probably would have found the visual of Sirius Black trapped in Filch's disgusting lavatory, dressed in nothing but underwear, socks, and shoes, highly amusing.

"Well, then, let's get started, shall we?" Remus said with false cheer, twisting his fingers around the toothbrush Filch had given him.

Sirius glanced at Remus. "Come on, don't be shy."

"W-what do you mean?"

Sirius just laughed, his dark eyes sparkling impishly. "Never mind. If you want to get your robe covered in toilet gunk, hey, go for it." He shrugged and crouched down by the bucket after retrieving the toothbrush he had dropped. Wrinkling his nose, he blew his hair out of his eyes. "This is asking for too much, even from a member of the brave house."

"I'm sure Godric himself would agree." Remus slowly took off his robe, but he left on his uniform. He then moved to the side of the bucket opposite Sirius and tried not to notice how much grubbier the toilet was at close range.

Sirius studied the pristine toothbrush for a moment before plunging it into the bucket. "Maybe we should tell Filch what these little buggers are really used for."

"Maybe." Remus rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, exposing pale, thin forearms. He quickly dipped his toothbrush into the bucket and swirled it around.

Minutes passed with only the sound of bristles against corroded porcelain breaking the silence. The water in the bucket quickly turned black, and Remus dumped it into the sink and filled the bucket with fresh water.

He tucked his knees under his chin as he continued to run the toothbrush over an exceptionally crusted area of the toilet seat. Several more minutes passed, along with four more buckets of water, as the two boys continued their detention task.

"Remus?"

"Yes?"

"We're friends now, right?"

Remus, startled, glanced over at Sirius, who still had his eyes fixed on his side of the toilet. Friends? He didn't have any friends, not really. He spoke when spoken to, laughed when everyone else laughed, but that was about the extent of it.

He didn't know what to say. Did he mean it? He stole another furtive glance at Sirius through his hair.

Sirius smiled at him, and he found himself slowly smiling back.

"Sure. Sure, we're friends."

"Great." Sirius beamed for a moment, before returning his attention to the toilet. "So, tell me, friend to friend…what happened to your arms?"

The toothbrush in Remus's hand nearly fell into the toilet. He felt his face redden, and instinctively his gaze traveled down to his bared arms.

Cast into sharp relief by the lamplight, the jagged scars, some silvered with age, others raw and red, were on prominent display against the moon-pale flesh they had ruined.

Remus exhaled sharply and moved to roll down his sleeves. A hand on his arm stopped him.

He looked up, eyes dark and bleak, to see Sirius watching him.

"It's all right, Remus."

His eyes flickered downward. The bathroom, merely small at first, was now claustrophobic; the walls were closing in. His lungs were screaming for air; it took him a few moments to realize he was holding his breath.

"Remus."

What excuse could he use? His brain, always so quick to jump to a challenge, seemed frozen. Excuses for missing class once a month were easy enough; he tended to be pale and sickly looking, even when it wasn't a full moon. It wasn't difficult to lead everyone into believing he had a proclivity for illness. Headaches, influenza, colds, sore throats, fever….

What could plausibly explain two arms lacerated with scars?

He felt gentle fingers wrap around both of his slender wrists. His first instinct was to flinch, to pull away, but he remained still, numb, his mind too occupied with racing through excuses to command his body to run.

He was a twelve-year-old boy. Twelve-year-old boys always got into scrapes, right? Perhaps he had fallen from a tree…no, he wasn't the sort that climbed trees…maybe he had gotten attacked in the Forbidden Forest…no, he wasn't the sort that wandered into forbidden territories….

"Hey. Look at me, will you?"

Remus gnawed fiercely on the inside of his lip, but his gaze slowly shifted upward from his arms.

Sirius smiled at him softly, even though there was a solemn glimmer of concern in the dark depths of his eyes.

"Tell me about _Macbeth_." His thumbs moved lightly over the drumming pulse points in Remus's wrists.

"_Macbeth_?" Remus frowned.

"Yeah. What's it about?"

"Oh. Well, it's about a man who wanted to be king."

"Wanted him some power, did he?"

"Well, yes. Three witches told him he would be king, you see."

"Witches?" Sirius raised an eyebrow. "They talk about witches in muggle books?"

"Well…they're more like old hags chanting over bubbling cauldrons." Sirius laughed, and Remus smiled wanly. "The king was a kinsman of his, a good friend. Macbeth was his general. But he invited him over to stay at his manor, and killed him."

"Killed him? Just because the witches said he'd be king?"

"Yes. It ends badly for him, though. His wife, who convinced him to go through with the murder, goes mad, and almost everyone dies."

"Blimey. Sounds rather gloomy."

"It's beautiful. Poetic." Remus blushed and shrugged.

"Maybe I'll read it sometime." Sirius, his fingers still resting on Remus's wrists, glanced at the toilet. "We're almost done."

"Are we?" Remus glanced blankly at the toilet, which had almost regained the white color it was born with. "Well, look at that."

"Yeah." Sirius gave a lopsided grin. "If all else fails, we should seriously consider becoming house elves after graduation."

"I think we're a bit too tall."

"And we're far too pretty."

Remus smiled despite himself. Sirius patted his wrists and let his hands fall away. Brandishing his toothbrush like a sword, he dipped it back into the bucket.

Remus sighed with relief as Sirius resumed his vehement scrubbing of the toilet. He smiled gratefully, even though he knew the boy couldn't see it. He fought the urge to hug him and thank him profusely, instead choosing to scrape some more filth off of the toilet with the toothbrush.

A half-hour later, the boys sat back to survey their work.

"I don't think Merlin himself could have done any better," Sirius said with satisfaction. "Even Filch, old crotchety loon, can't complain."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll find a way." Remus rolled down his sleeves and rubbed his chapped hands against his trouser legs.

Sirius laughed and stood up, stretching his arms over his head. He walked stiffly to his pile of clothes and started to pull them on.

"Is John all shiny and pretty?" a gruff, muffled voice asked from the other side of the door.

"He's absolutely breathtaking, Filch. Better watch out, or I'll steal him away from you." Sirius winked at Remus and buttoned up his shirt, leaving his tie hanging loosely around his neck. He glanced slyly at the door as he heard Filch start to fumble with the lock. Glancing over at Remus, he held his finger to his lips.

Remus stood up and stretched, keeping his eyes on Sirius as he went to fetch his robe. Just before the door opened, Sirius pulled something from his pocket and tossed it into the toilet.

Filch gifted each of them with a sneer before looking at the toilet.

"Not bad," he admitted grudgingly. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Next time, you'll wash my skivvies. Got it?"

"Can't wait. See you later, Filch!" Sirius smiled, grabbed Remus by the arm, and pulled him out of the bathroom. As the two boys hastened across Filch's deplorable bedroom, an explosion rang out. Sirius hooted and quickened his stride, still holding fast to Remus.

"BLACK! I'm going to tear out your insides and feed them to my cat!"

Sirius ducked around the corner into the hallway, and Remus lurched after him. They dashed madly down the hall, taking the steps two at a time.

"What did you throw in there?" Remus huffed as they skidded out onto the first aboveground level. Sirius nearly plowed into the wall, causing a few of the more indignant paintings to tell him to slow down and walk like a proper gentleman.

"Oh, just a Dungbomb. Rather fitting, given John's parentage." Once he was certain that Filch wouldn't catch up, Sirius slowed to a more leisurely pace. He let go of Remus's arm and shoved his hands into his pockets, whistling off key.

Remus brushed his hair out of his eyes and fell into step beside him, the surreal nature of this situation not lost on him. Here he was, walking side by side with one of the most outgoing, amusing people he had ever met. And he wanted to be his friend.

One moment, he had been the loner kid reading a muggle play in the library. In the next moment, he had been labeled a hooligan and sent to detention. And now…now what was he?

"Knut for your thoughts."

"Mine?"

"No, the other boy walking beside me."

"Oh." Remus felt his face flush again. Merlin, he really was thick, wasn't he? It was no wonder he had never attempted to converse with other students before, beyond classroom work and common room niceties.

Sirius chuckled. "I bet I can read your mind. I bet you're thinking 'Merlin's tatty beard, this boy is crazy. He's offensive, loud, crude, and a downright wanker.'"

"No, surely not," Remus replied quickly. But then he couldn't help but smile. "All right, maybe the crazy part."

"Aha! I smell the rise of a shining new star in Divvies next year." Sirius winked at Remus.

He smiled back shyly, but there was a question nagging at him.

"Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"Um…." He cleared his throat. "Well, I'm wondering…"

"Why you?"

"Yes! I mean…."

Sirius patted him on the back. "I understand. You're wondering why I suddenly decided to be your friend?"

"Well…yes. Sorry, I'm not very good at…."

"Talking? Don't worry, we'll work on that." Sirius laughed as he steered them toward the Gryffindor dormitory. "A few days with me by your side, Remus, and you'll be droning on longer than Binns in History class. Not nearly as dull, of course."

"Merlin, I hope not." As Sirius gallantly called out the password to the Fat Lady, his hand still on Remus's boyish shoulder, Remus had almost forgotten the question he had asked. And he had certainly forgotten that Sirius had not answered it.


	2. Chapter Two

It was an unusually warm day, free of the irksome fog and rain so common in England in the autumn months. The sun was shining benevolently down, and even the clouds had decided to take a day off.

In the center of the courtyard, a crowd of students was gathered. A motley collection of first, second, and third years, dressed in yellows, reds, and blues, circled around two boys staring unblinkingly at each other.

The two red and gold clad boys were practically nose to nose. A third boy, also a Gryffindor, hovered nearby, his watery eyes darting back and forth.

One of the boys, a tall, gangly boy who seemed to be growing too fast for his body to keep up, raised his wand. His bright blue eyes, narrowed behind a pair of black glasses, never left the face of the boy standing directly across from him.

A second wand was raised, and a pair of unblinking jet eyes seemed to spark. The corner of his lip twitched, but he did not smile.

The third boy, whose chubby, squat body hinted at baby fat that would never quite go away, continued to look between them, a rapt expression on his pudgy face.

As the herd of onlookers whispered heatedly among themselves, the boy in glasses dramatically tapped the side of his face with his wand. Immediately, his facial features began to shift. His nose became long and pointed, his lips huge, and his eyes crossed. A thick, purple tongue flopped out from between his teeth. The chubby boy laughed merrily and clapped his hands together.

The dark eyed boy watched without blinking, without smiling. He then tapped his own face with a flourish. His eyes bugged out, his nose became a pig's snout, and his front teeth elongated into buckteeth.

James Potter pressed his lips together, determined not to laugh. Not to be outdone, he tapped his face with his wand for a second time. His skin turned pink, his teeth disappeared, and his nose took on the appearance of what the muggles would call a clown's nose. His eyes became the size of Galleons, only in this instance, the galleons were plaid, an obnoxious blend of bright orange and green.

A 3rd year Slytherin, standing at a distance from the Gryffindors' attentive audience, rolled his pale gray eyes with disgust.

"Some people just don't know how to act their age," he scoffed.

A giant of a boy standing beside him seemed puzzled by that. He blinked slowly and looked down at his fellow Slytherin.

"I thought they were second years."

Lucius Malfoy gave him a withering look. "They _are_ second years, Crabbe."

"Oh." He frowned and glanced at his fellow giant, who was standing on the other side of Lucius. The other boy, a cloddish looking young man with vacant brown eyes and close cropped dark hair, shrugged.

"So then they are acting their age…aren't they?"

Lucius sneered, and the boy swallowed. "Goyle, sometimes I wonder how you manage to walk and speak at the same time."

"But I'm not walking."

"Yes, I noticed that." Lucius rolled his eyes again, arms crossed over his chest. He glared again at the pair of Gryffindors.

Crabbe laughed as Sirius Black's face became green, complete with a wart on the tip of his nose.

"Something funny, Crabbe?" Lucius hissed, glaring at his cohort.

"Uh…no?" Crabbe cleared his throat and pulled his gaze away from James and Sirius.

"Look at them, acting all…stupid," Goyle piped up, looking to Lucius for approval.

"Yes. Very, very stupid." Goyle's enormous face lit up, but Lucius wasn't looking at him.

"Stupid lions," Crabbe added.

"We've already established that," Lucius said coolly. He glanced sharply back at the crowd as he heard them break into cheers and applause. James was laughing loudly, and Sirius was bowing.

"Man, he got him again. No one wins a staring contest like Sirius Black." Goyle clapped his man-sized hands together. His look of glee quickly faded into a look of bewilderment as he felt a wand tip press against the fold of fat below his chin.

"Goyle. Are you listening to me?"

"Y-yes," he stammered, swallowing thickly as Lucius stared up at him coldly. Crabbe instinctively took a step back.

"Do we encourage the antics of upstart lions?"

"N-no."

"Do we like lions?"

"No!"

"Do we want to destroy the lions?"

"No…yes!" He squealed as the wand was jabbed further into his neck.

Lucius slowly let his wand drop. "That's better." He glanced back at the crowd, his lip curling slightly. He watched as a fourth Gryffindor joined the other three. "Boys, I think we have a problem."

"Stupid lions!" Crabbe said vehemently.

"Shut up." Lucius gave him a frosted glare, and Crabbe immediately closed his mouth. "Do you know what our problem is, Herbert?"

"Um…." Crabbe glanced at Goyle, who shrugged, glad to have Lucius's wrath deflected away from him. "The lions?"

"Which lions?"

"Um…those lions." Crabbe pointed one hairy finger at the quartet of Gryffindors surrounded by a chattering, laughing group of mixed houses.

"Yes. Those lions." Lucius tapped his wand against his palm. "Do you see what our problem is?"

Crabbe looked at Goyle. Goyle looked at Crabbe.

Lucius sighed wearily. "How many are there? I assume you can count if only required to

use one hand."

The two boys looked over at the Gryffindors.

"Four."

"Three…four! Yes, four."

"Yes, four. Well done," Lucius replied dryly. "And how many of us are there?"

Goyle looked at Crabbe, and then at Lucius, and then at himself. "Three."

"Very good. Three of us, and four of them."

"But we're bigger than all of them combined," Crabbe commented in a moment of sage like wisdom.

"I could pound the lot of them with one fist!" Goyle added.

"I don't doubt that," Lucius replied. After all, that was the purpose they served. They were the muscle. He was the brain. It never hurt to have two hunks of brainless brawn around, especially when they were more than willing to do whatever you told them to do. He flicked his chin-length platinum hair from his eyes and coolly surveyed the Gryffindor quartet again. James Potter and Sirius Black, the golden lion cubs, always surrounded by their attentive little fan club. Peter Pettigrew, who was obviously there simply for adoration's sake. Rather sad, how he stared at the other two so adoringly, like a dim-witted puppy.

But the fourth boy…what purpose did he serve? He studied the pale boy with light brown hair and intelligent eyes. He was a relatively new addition to the group, but it was already blatantly obvious that he was Sirius's boy. How very typical. If James had a worshipful puppy, then Sirius would want one, too.

Of course, the argument could be made that Lucius Malfoy had not one, but two obedient puppies at his disposal. But it wasn't enough. There was strength in numbers, and he would be damned before he let the hapless lions outnumber him and his fan club.

"We need a fourth."

Crabbe and Goyle looked down at Lucius blankly.

"I like being a trio," Goyle said.

"We need a fourth," Lucius said again, his voice betraying how much he hated repeating himself. "_Gaylord_."

Crabbe snickered, and Goyle's moon shaped face flushed.

"Fine," he muttered. "A fourth. But who?"

Lucius thoughtfully tapped his wand against his pointed chin. A slow, sly smile curved his lips.

"I have just the person." He started to walk toward the castle with a purposeful gait, leaving his two oafish brethren staring stupidly. "Are you coming already?" he called back without slowing.

Crabbe and Goyle looked at each, shrugged, and obediently followed their leader back into the castle.

* * *

"I ruddy hate homework." Sirius tossed his book at the flickering flames in the fireplace. Without even looking up from his own book, Remus extended his wand and levitated the book back to Sirius.

"It's not like you ever do it," James snickered, doodling on a piece of parchment.

"I do my homework," Sirius huffed. "Doesn't mean I _like_ it."

"I can't make heads or tails of this," Peter chimed in, staring blankly at his Potions notes. "Is it a phoenix feather, or an owl?"

"Phoenix." Remus turned a page in his book.

"Phoenix, shmenix. I'm bloody _bored_." Sirius scowled at the pile of parchment in front of him.

"Uh oh, Sirius is bored." James shot his best friend a bemused look.

"Sirius is always bored." Remus brushed his hair out of his eyes and smiled knowingly at Sirius.

"Not always." Sirius winked and twirled a quill between his fingers. "Know what wouldn't bore me?"

"John?"

Sirius stuck out his tongue at James. "You're just jealous."

"Ugh. I can't believe you guys lived through that," Peter said with a shudder.

"I still have nightmares," Sirius said solemnly, his dark eyes sparkling with mirth. "I really should be sent to St. Mungo's for some therapy or something."

"Pranking, more like," Remus murmured, head bowed to hide his smile.

"Well, that too." Sirius laughed and started to draw on a crumbled piece of parchment.

The four boys, sprawled out on the floor in the Gryffindor common room, fell silent as they attempted to do their Potions homework. In reality, Remus was the only one trying. James and Sirius were drawing, and Peter was staring vaguely at the floor.

"Full moon's tomorrow night."

Sirius looked impishly at James, and Peter giggled. Remus kept writing.

"Well, well. So it is." Sirius sat up and rubbed his hands together. "I had nearly forgotten." James shot him a look. "I'm kidding, silly git."

"I think it's Peter's turn to come up with the plan."

"Me?" Peter blinked his pale eyes.

"Yes, you. I came up with the Dungbombs in the staffroom last month."

"And I did the fireworks in the girls' lavatory the month before," Sirius reminded him.

Peter chewed on the end of his quill and spit out a feather. "Why not let Remus do it? You know I'm rotten at coming up with pranks."

"Merlin's knickers, you certainly are." Sirius snickered as he recalled Peter's last attempt at a prank, which resulted in his own hair being set on fire and Filch's cat biting him in the leg. At least Peter's hair had grown back, for the most part. He gave Remus a look. "What do you say?"

"Hmm?" Remus looked up from his book and pretended he hadn't heard a word they had said.

"Boy, you're a misplaced Ravenclaw if I've ever seen one," Sirius stated, shaking his dark head. "Get your nose out of that book for two seconds and listen, why don't you."

"Fine." Remus slammed his book shut, causing Peter to jump. "I forgot how you like your audiences captive and attentive."

Sirius blinked at that, taken aback. James frowned slightly, and Peter gazed apprehensively at Remus.

"I just thought you might…."

"Well, you thought wrong." Remus stood up and hid his quivering hands beneath his book. "You may be here to prank and make an ass out of yourself, but some of us are here to learn."

"Fine," Sirius replied curtly, hiding his hurt behind a mask of contempt. "Go snog your book, then. Who needs you?"

"Sirius…."

"Sod off, James." Sirius leapt to his feet, glaring at Remus. "Go on, Lupin, run along and play with your precious books."

"Thanks for the permission," Remus replied dryly, barely managing to keep his voice from wavering. He felt his eyes fill with tears, and he quickly turned and went for the stairs, for the haven that only his room could provide.

* * *

In another common room, a far darker, crypt-like one, a lone student sat in the corner and wrote on a piece of parchment. Lank, unwashed hair hid his face from view as he paused to check something in his opened textbook.

A shadow fell over him, but he didn't look up, even as the shadow cleared its throat. He read the information needed to answer the question, and started to write again.

"You're a rude one, aren't you?"

He looked up with a glare. "No, that would be _you_."

Lucius chuckled at that. A snake wasn't a snake without a bit of bite about him.

"Well, rude is the least of the insults I've been graced with. Mind if I sit down?" Without waiting for an answer, Lucius flopped down in the vacant armchair across from the other boy's. He let the boy continue to ignore him, but only for a moment. Patience was a virtue, and he didn't bother with virtues. He preferred vice.

"So, Severus. How are…things?"

Severus dipped his quill into the pot of ink perched on the gnarled tabletop. He tapped off the excess ink and continued to write.

"It's polite to answer questions when they're asked, you know."

Severus paused, quill in midair.

"Things are wonderful, beautiful, lovely, and exceptionally blissful," he snarled. "Any more questions, Malfoy?"

Lucius chuckled benignly. If anyone else had dared to talk to him in such a manner, they'd be hexed and sobbing for mercy by now. But he wanted something from Severus Snape, so he'd play the game.

"I was just trying to make conversation."

"Well, don't." Severus resumed his writing. "I know you like to hear the sound of your own voice, but some of us couldn't care less."

Lucius's eyes narrowed at that.

"I would think, Severus, that you would be a bit more courteous to a fellow Slytherin."

"You've never bothered with courtesy before, why should I?" Severus countered.

"So I'm a mean spirited, snide little git. I'm fully aware of it." Lucius smiled and leaned forward slightly. "But I can be a good friend, Severus."

"Ha."

"I don't think you're listening to me." Lucius casually studied his perfectly manicured nails. "I know the Slytherins give you a hard time."

"You're very observant."

Lucius ignored the heavy sarcasm in Severus's voice. "I mean, I can't say I blame them. You're obviously poor, unwashed, and rather droll. But…." Here he paused, gray eyes flickering over toward Severus. "I'm willing to put all that aside."

"How generous of you. Truly, I'm touched."

"Are you? You should be." Lucius resumed scrutinizing his nails. "Life can be rough in Slytherin, if you aren't accepted. We aren't very kind to our enemies. And when our enemies are among us…we're ruthless." He glanced over at Severus, pleased by the way the boy's shoulders were slightly stooped. He was listening now, wasn't he?

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Severus asked wearily.

"I want us to be friends." Lucius smiled warmly at Severus. "Why not? You're good to me, I'm good to you. Just ask Crabbe and Goyle." He tossed back his gleaming white-blond hair. "It wouldn't hurt to have a trio of third years on your side, Severus. The snake pit isn't territory to be wandered alone."

Severus was very still, his forgotten quill dripping ink on his homework.

"Just last week, Malfoy, you had the Slytherins take a survey to guess which poor house my robes were donated from."

"I did, didn't I?" Lucius shrugged casually. "Everyone makes mistakes." He leaned

forward, his fingers laced together on his lap. "It won't happen again. You have my

word, and a Malfoy never breaks a promise."

Severus studied the book in front of him, his sallow face framed by his unkempt hair.

Lucius had played his hand. It was up to Severus now. He stood up and smoothed down his pristine robe. "Think about it. You know where to find me." He patted Severus lightly on the shoulder and sauntered across the room toward the stairs.

The candle perched on the table next to his jar of ink had long since sputtered out before Severus raised his head from his book. He tucked back a greasy strand of hair, his dark eyes darting over to the stairs. A flicker of longing passed over his features before he slowly stood up and gathered his things.

Lucius, arrogant prig that he was, was certainly right about one thing.

The snake pit was a terrible place to slither through alone.


	3. Chapter Three

As Professor McGonagall's wand wrote in neat script on the chalkboard, Sirius stared bleakly at the hunched boy in the back corner of the classroom.

James nudged him, but Sirius didn't turn around. His jet eyes were made all the darker by worry, and he didn't give a fig for pretending he was paying attention.

Peter hastily scrawled notes, hoping his writing was legible enough for James and Sirius to copy later.

"Sirius, she's watching you," James murmured out of the corner of his mouth.

"So what?" Sirius replied flippantly, still staring at the back of the classroom. "Merlin's bloody nose, look at him. Just look at him."

James pushed up his glasses and gave a quick glance over his shoulder.

"He looks knackered," he admitted, returning his attention to the front of the room.

"Maybe he was up late studying?"

"No one studies that much."

"Mr. Black, am I boring you?"

"Not really," Sirius replied automatically without turning around.

McGonagall opened her mouth to reply, saw who Sirius was staring at, and pressed her lips together. "All right, class, as you can see from the board…."

As the professor continued with the lesson, Remus stared vacantly ahead, oblivious to the worried stare that remained glued on him throughout class. He shivered and slouched down farther in his seat, beads of sweat shining on his ghostly pale forehead. His book was open, parchment at the ready, but he didn't write a single word. It took all his effort to remain upright, and even that was a halfhearted task.

He was dimly aware of class being dismissed, and he watched with a sense of detachment as the other students stood and gathered their belongings, chatting amicably among themselves.

He finally forced himself to stand once the rest of the students were gone.

"Mr. Lupin, I trust you can find someone to do the homework for you?"

He would have smiled if he had it in him. Instead, he nodded and slowly put his book and parchment into his satchel.

McGonagall watched him, concern etched upon the lines around her eyes. It was a terrible shame, for one so young to have to bear such a burden.

Remus heaved his satchel up onto his thin shoulder. He managed a slight smile to McGonagall before trudging out of the classroom, head bowed.

Sirius was waiting in the hallway, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall.

"What's wrong?"

Remus came to a halt. His shadowed eyes flickered upward, and then shifted down to the floor.

"I'm sick," he said very softly.

"So go to the hospital wing."

Remus closed his eyes. "I'll be fine in a day or two."

"How can you be so sure?" Sirius pushed himself off of the wall and walked over to him. "You look terrible."

"I'm well aware of that." Remus held the strap of his bag on his shoulder with both hands.

"Please go to the hospital wing."

"I rather not."

"Bloody hell, Remus. You look like a good breeze could knock you on your arse."

"Just leave me alone. Please. I just…in a couple of days…what are you doing?" He blinked up at Sirius as he grabbed his arm and started to pull him down the hall.

"I'm taking you to the ruddy hospital wing."

"That's not necessary…" he argued, but it was a weak argument. He was just too tired to protest.

It was too far of a walk. By the time the two boys arrived at the hospital wing, Sirius was practically carrying Remus, one arm draped around his waist.

"Madam Pomfrey!" he hollered as soon as he pushed open the door.

The nurse hurried over, her eyes widening when she saw Sirius and the rag doll of a body that he was supporting.

"Good Merlin," she murmured, taking one of Remus's arms. "What happened?"

"I don't know. He just…he just looks like hell…insisted he didn't need help, but look at him…."

Madam Pomfrey and Sirius carried him over to the first empty bed. Once the boy was stretched out on his back, the nurse finally saw who he was.

"Oh, dear," she clucked, making a big show of fetching a basin of water and a rag. "Poor boy's anemic, you know."

"A what?"

"Anemic. Not enough iron in his blood…." Seeing Sirius's continued perplexed stare, she dipped the rag in water and folded it over Remus's pale forehead. "He's prone to, er, fainting spells and weakness."

"Oh." Sirius looked at Remus, who was struggling to push the rag away and sit up.

Madam Pomfrey pushed him back down.

"Well, Mr. Black, thank you for bringing him in. You may go now."

"But I want to stay."

"And I said go. He'll be fine. I'll keep him overnight, just to make sure." Madam Pomfrey waved one hand in dismissal. "You may visit him tomorrow. Now, get going."

Sirius glared at her, but even he knew better than to argue with the nurse. Grumbling under his breath, he looked at Remus, glared again at Madam Pomfrey in case she had missed it the first time, and then stalked out of the hospital wing, letting the door slam behind him.

Madam Pomfrey immediately removed the rag from Remus's forehead.

"Tonight's the night, isn't it?"

Remus opened his eyes to look at her. "There's a full moon tonight?"

"Yes, I'm afraid so," she replied, missing the sarcasm, which was a rather new development in the boy. She patted his arm. "Might as well stay here until nightfall."

"Here?"

"Unless I'm mistaken, Mr. Black will be asking questions if you return to Gryffindor. And he doesn't seem like the sort to take 'I'm fine' for an answer when his eyes tell him another story," Madam Pomfrey replied pointedly.

Remus sighed wearily and closed his eyes. "Good point."

She pulled the covers up around him. "Get some rest. You're going to need it." She patted him on the arm a final time and returned to her other patients.

* * *

And then there were four.

Well…sort of.

Lucius speared a bit of steak onto his fork and let his gray gaze flicker along the table.

Crabbe and Goyle were, of course, flanking him. The years tended to keep together, even if they all were in the same house.

Sitting at a small distance from them was Severus Snape. Not exactly sitting with them, but not exactly sitting on the opposite end of the table either.

It was a start, wasn't it? He nibbled the bite of steak off of his fork and took a delicate sip of pumpkin juice. He tossed back his gleaming hair and looked down the table again.

Severus kept his eyes fixed on his plate. He heard a sudden howl of laughter, and he glanced over at the Gryffindor table. James Potter was standing on his seat and sporting a pudding moustache, pretending he didn't know why everyone was laughing.

What a bloody fool. Severus glared at him from behind his hair. He hated James Potter and everyone like him. Hate was a strong word, but it was the most appropriate one he could think of.

Some people just had that ability to walk on sunshine and make everyone like them.

Potter was a twit of a twelve-year-old boy with thick glasses and messy hair, yet he could do no wrong in the eyes of his precious lions. He scowled again at the boy before returning his attention to the half-eaten food on his plate.

* * *

At the Gryffindor table, James sat down and pretended to finally realize he had pudding on his face. He wiped it off with a napkin and glanced over at Sirius.

Sirius was not laughing. He jabbed his fork into a pile of mashed potatoes and twisted it around, his chin propped in his free hand. His dark eyes were expressionless, his face solemn.

The grin on James's face faded. He shared a glance with Peter, who shrugged.

The three finished their meals in silence, which was highly unusual.

"Er…where's Remus?" Peter asked quietly.

Sirius's fork clattered against his plate, and James shot Peter a look.

"He's in the hospital wing," Sirius muttered.

"Oh." Peter swallowed and glanced helplessly at James, who shrugged back. "Is he, um, all right?"

"Pomfrey's keeping him overnight. Apparently, this isn't unusual."

"You know, I've noticed him looking ill before," James commented.

"You have?"

"Yes."

"Pomfrey says he's anemic or something. Bad blood." Sirius shrugged and stared at the mess of food on his plate. "I just feel bad."

"Why?" Peter asked with frown.

"I don't know. I was a bit of a git to him last night."

"Well, you tend to speak first and think later, Sirius." James gave his best friend a pointed look, expecting an outburst.

Sirius was silent for a moment. "Yeah. Yeah, I do." He frowned and looked back down at his plate.

James tugged absently on his hair, and Peter stared at a bowl of bread.

Sirius stood up suddenly and looked down at his two friends.

"Well, what are you guys sitting there looking glum for? We have some pranking to do!"

He shot them a grin and strolled toward the doors, hands in his pockets.

Peter looked at James, very confused. James shrugged, and after a moment of wondering silence, the two boys stood and slowly left the Great Hall.


	4. Chapter Four

"Mr. Lupin? Can you hear me?"

The figure on the floor of the ruined shack curled into a tighter ball. Thick silver manacles bound his thin wrists and ankles, and his pajamas were in bloodstained tatters.

Madam Pomfrey frowned and crouched down.

"Mr. Lupin. It's time to wake up."

The sun was peering in through the moth eaten curtains, illuminating the dingy room in a wash of pale light. The dusty floor was pitted with claw marks, and there were small pools of blood splattered within the boundaries of the chains.

Remus remained still. Madam Pomfrey gingerly reached out a hand to touch his shoulder. His eyes snapped open, feral and blank, and he growled and flailed his weighted wrists.

Madam Pomfrey quickly jumped out of range.

"Remus, the sun has long since risen. It's over. Come now, wake up."

He slowly blinked, the animal glint in his eyes replaced by confusion. And pain.

"Madam Pomfrey," he said hoarsely.

She took a shimmering key from the pocket of her nurse robe and fitted it into each lock, one by one. She slowly pulled the manacles off of his wrists and ankles and helped him to stand.

Remus staggered, and nearly collapsed, but Pomfrey caught him.

She tsk tsk'd under her breath. "You did quite a number on yourself this month."

"Did I?" He looked down at himself as he sagged against the nurse. His pajamas were no more than a collection of loose threads, obviously ripped at with a relish by eager claws. Thick streaks of blood marred his scarred chest, as did more than one open bite wound. His arms were still oozing crimson, and he whimpered as his eyes shifted to the puddles of blood on the floor.

"It's all right. Let's get you to the hospital wing and clean you up." She slowly started to walk toward the door, both arms needed to hold Remus up. She kicked open the door unceremoniously and stared to move the two of them toward the passage that lead back to Hogwarts.

When Remus fainted dead away halfway to the Whomping Willow, Madam Pomfrey picked him up with a grunt. Holding him against her chest, she pushed open the secret door, blinking at the sudden light.

Well, best get the boy back to the hospital wing right quick. Throwing her cloak over him to shield him from possible prying eyes, she hurried as casually as she could toward the castle doors.

* * *

"I hate Filch."

Sirius glowered at his breakfast and stabbed an egg yolk with his knife.

"He was bound to catch on sooner or later," James pointed out, although he was frowning as well.

"He's not supposed to catch on. He's supposed to be an idiot." Sirius slouched back in his chair, arms crossed over the Gryffindor crest on his robe.

"He didn't catch us, though. Not really," Peter pointed out.

"He didn't catch us, _Petey_, because we didn't get a chance to do anything," Sirius spat back viciously. Peter flushed and returned his attention to his plate of bacon and eggs.

"We didn't have a real plan, anyway. So Filch was skulking the halls, so what? He didn't see us, so he won't think to go scouting at the next full moon," James pointed out, scratching at the tufts of hair that stuck straight out from the back of his head. He then yawned and took a swig of pumpkin juice.

"I'll come up with something really good for next month," Peter said meekly.

"No. It's not your turn." Sirius stabbed the egg yolk again and watched the yellow liquid bleed along the crispy whites. "It's Remus's turn."

James gave his friend a sleepy look. "That went over real well the last time you brought it up."

Sirius glared at him. "He's the good boy, of course it went badly." He continued to jab holes into the center of his fried egg.

"If he doesn't want to prank, then he doesn't want to prank."

"It's not that." Sirius paused and studied his plate. "It's not the pranking."

"What do you mean?"

Sirius laid his knife down on the table. "I don't know what I mean. But I don't think it's the idea of pranking that bothers him."

James just frowned. "Then what is it?"

"I don't know." Sirius stood up, his eyes on the door. "But I intend to find out."

* * *

"I don't think Greasy likes us very much."

Lucius shot Goyle a condescending look. "Do I have to say it?"

"Say what?"

"Your _name_, you ruddy idiot."

Goyle flushed and looked down at his plate, which was so stacked with food that it was spilling onto the table.

Lucius frowned and stabbed a muffin with his fork. He coolly surveyed the hall, picking out a victim for today's general mockery. Perhaps a Hufflepuff, to lull the Gryffindors into a false sense of security.

Crabbe shoveled a fork and spoon load of egg into his gaping mouth.

"Werisheanywa?"

"Chew, swallow, then speak." Lucius glared at Crabbe.

Crabbe hastily chewed with his mouth opened, and then swallowed. Choking, he grabbed his glass of chocolate milk and gulped it down, dribbling it down his chin and against the front of his robe.

"Where is he anyway?" he coughed out, wiping at his chin with the back of one beefy hand.

"Where is who?"

"Greas…Severus."

"Good boy. We call our friends by their given names, don't we?" Lucius smiled frostily and took a dainty sip of tea. "And I haven't the foggiest."

Goyle shoved four slices of bacon into his mouth. He went to speak, saw Lucius's warning glance, and slowly chewed his food and swallowed.

"I still say he doesn't like us."

"Well, we'll just have to persuade him, won't we?" Lucius smiled warmly. "We have his best interests at heart. We care about him."

"We do?" Crabbe replied blankly. Lucius hit him on the back of the head.

"Shut up. I said we care about him. So…how do we feel about Severus Snape?" he hissed.

Crabbe rubbed the back of his head with teary eyes.

"We care about him?" Goyle replied cautiously.

"Exactly. We like Severus Snape, and we are his friends."

Goyle slowly nodded, and Crabbe, still rubbing his head, nodded as well.

"Good." Lucius pressed his napkin primly against the corner of his mouth. "So then. Who shall we torment today?"

* * *

Severus stood at a window that overlooked the grounds, hidden in shadow. Breakfast didn't seem all that important at the moment. He had fully intended to enjoy a cold biscuit and perhaps a mug of coffee, but that was before he had been distracted by a rather odd apparition cantering across the dewy grass.

She was long gone, but the question of her actions still remained.

Why had the prim Hogwarts nurse been running outside at such an odd hour?

And even more pertinent…

What was the bundle she had been carrying in her arms?

* * *

"Eat this."

Remus watched as Madam Pomfrey shoved a bar of chocolate into his blood tipped fingers.

"I'm not hungry."

"Eat it anyway." Clucking her tongue, she fetched a basin of water, tapping it with her wand to increase its temperature and add a magical disinfectant. She sat in a chair next to Remus's private bed and dipped a rag into the bubbling concoction.

He winced as she pressed the rag against one of the more painful bite marks near his shoulder.

"You shouldn't…ouch!"

"Shouldn't what?" She dipped the rag back into the water, which turned a light pink.

"Shouldn't…wait…that stings…shouldn't wait until after dawn to get me."

"I normally don't, Mr. Lupin. I normally fetch you as soon as the moon sets. But sometimes that's impossible."

"Why?" he replied through gritted teeth.

"It just is." Madam Pomfrey continued to clean his wounds, and once the basin of water was maroon with blood, she rose to dump it and fill it with fresh water.

But Remus wasn't going to be put aside so easily.

"Why is it sometimes impossible?" he asked as she sat back down beside him.

Madam Pomfrey frowned and tapped her wand against the basin.

"Madam Pomfrey?"

"Because sometimes you don't turn back right away. All right?" She gave him a look and swirled a fresh rag around in the boiling water.

He stared at her in horror.

"I…I don't?"

"Not always." She continued to clean his scratches and bites. "Most of the time, you're back to yourself as soon as the moon sets. But other times…well, it takes a bit longer."

"But…why?"

"Madam Pomfrey!"

Pomfrey looked up abruptly. "Oh, dear." Clucking her tongue, she slipped the basin under the bed and hurried out into the general ward.

Remus remained silent and listened through the door, which she had kept slightly ajar.

"Where is he?"

"Where is who?"

Good one, Pomfrey, Remus thought with a silent groan.

"Remus Lupin. You said you were going to keep him over night, but he's not in his room. And he's not here. So where is he?"

"He's…resting."

"Where is he?"

"Mr. Black, mind your temper. He's in a private room, and he's resting."

"I want to see him."

"You may see him later."

"I want to see him _now_."

Remus sat up with an effort and grabbed the trailing end of the blanket, pulling it up to his chin as he fell back against the pillow.

And it wasn't a moment too soon, for Sirius immediately came storming into the room, Madam Pomfrey on his heels.

"Hello," Remus said blankly.

"Mr. Black, how dare you disobey my orders! I clearly said you may see him later!"

"And _I_ said I wanted to see him _now_." Sirius whirled on her, his dark eyes flashing. She put her hands on her hips and huffed under her breath.

"It's all right, Madam Pomfrey," Remus interjected weakly.

The nurse glanced with surprise at Remus before shooting another glare at Sirius.

"Five minutes," she said curtly. "And then you're gone. Got it?"

Sirius smiled with satisfaction. "Yes, ma'am."

"Impertinent little brat," she was heard to mutter under her breath as she left the room.

Remus slowly shook his head, a slight bemused smile curving his colorless lips.

"You never take no for an answer, do you?"

"Nope." Sirius plopped down in the chair next to Remus's bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired. A bit weak. But I'll live."

"You're so pale." Sirius frowned down at him. "You look like a ghost."

"I feel like one," he murmured, curling his fingers around the edge of the blanket.

He knew immediately it was a mistake.

Sirius's eyes slowly widened. Remus cowered back against the headboard.

"Your fingers." Sirius pointed at the dried blood on the tips of them. "What happened to your fingers?"

"N-nothing," Remus stammered. "I just…I had an itch, and I…."

"Bollocks." Sirius stood up so fast that the chair clattered to the ground. He grabbed the edge of the blanket and Remus tried in vain to keep his grip on it. But his fingers wouldn't obey him, and Sirius tugged it out of his grasp and wrenched it away.

He looked down at Remus's body in dumb horror, his angry, flashing eyes quickly going stark. A pair of underwear, the only clothing Remus had on, left little of the bodily damage to one's imagination.

Remus sat up and scrambled for the blanket, but Sirius was quick to sit on the side of the bed and push him back down.

"What happened to you?" his hissed, his blanched face inches from Remus's.

"N-nothing."

"Stop lying to me!" Sirius's eyes were luminous, almost glowing, and Remus tried in vain to get away.

"Please, just…go away…."

"What the hell happened to you? You're…you look like…did someone hurt you?" Sirius could barely form words as his horrified glance shifted back down to the gaping maw marks and open cuts scattered across his friend's chest and arms.

Remus's vision went blurry as his eyes filled with tears. "Go away! Leave me be!"

"No! I'm not leaving until you tell me what happened!"

"Leave me alone!" Remus flailed his arms, but Sirius was stronger. He pinned his wrists beneath his knees and held him down at the shoulders with his hands.

"Who did this to you?"

Remus squeezed his eyes shut and silently sobbed, his heart seeming to shrivel within his chest. This last month of having friends had been the best month of his life. And now…now it was all going to end, because they were going to discover the truth about what he really was…. He felt something warm and wet splash against his battered chest, and his eyes snapped open.

Sirius was crying. As angry as he looked, as much as his shoulders shook with rage, his eyes were shining with sorrow, his pale cheeks stained with the damp traces of tears.

Remus's shadowed eyes widened. "Sirius?"

Sirius's lip trembled as tears continued to course out of his eyes. Remus stared up at him, his own eyes filled with unshed tears. He slowly sat up, easily pulling his arms out from under Sirius's knees.

"Sirius?"

"Just tell me. Tell me who hurt you."

Remus fervently wished that he could tell, if only to make Sirius stop crying.

"I…."

"What on earth is going on in here?" Madam Pomfrey had just walked in, only to find Sirius Black practically straddling her ward, both boys covered in tears. She blinked, not sure what to make of such an unexpected scenario.

"Who hurt him, Pomfrey?" Sirius asked, his voice low and very soft. He never looked away from Remus.

Madam Pomfrey saw the wounds that were on such prominent display. She inhaled sharply and looked at Remus.

But he was staring at Sirius. Cloudy gray and gleaming onyx remained glued on each other.

"Well. Funny you should ask," Madam Pomfrey replied, stalling for time. "It was actually the strangest thing."

Remus wiped a tear from Sirius's pale cheek with trembling fingers, leaving a slight streak of red-brown in its stead.

"See, the thing is, well…Mr. Lupin here did a bit of sleepwalking last night. And, darned if Filch's cat wasn't stalking about, in a bit of a bad temper…."

Sirius finally pulled his eyes away to give Pomfrey a sharp look. "Are you telling me that Mrs. Norris did this to him?"

"I am indeed." Madam Pomfrey nodded to herself and shifted her gaze to Remus. "I, well, noticed he had wandered off, of course, so I went looking, and I found him fighting off the cat, who had, well, scratched him up and bit him and the like. As you can see, she was in quite a foul temper. Not too different from yours, I'm sure."

Sirius narrowed his eyes slightly. But then he turned his face back toward his quivering friend.

"Is this true, Remus?"

He studied Sirius, the boy who feared no one, the boy who made the school his own personal playground. The boy who had cried for him, because he was in pain. The boy who had shed tears because he had been hurt.

"Yes," he finally whispered. "I was too embarrassed to admit it, but it's true." Something hard and brittle seemed to overtake the tears in his eyes. He sized up Remus coldly and slowly stood up, his eyes still lingering on Remus's chest and arms.

"I see. Mrs. Norris attacked you as you walked through the halls in your sleep."

Merlin, to hear it said that way made it sound more than ridiculous. But Remus nodded, as did Madam Pomfrey.

"Funny, that. Because I happened to see Filch last night, and Mrs. Norris was with him."

"Oh, well, of course you did," Madam Pomfrey said hurriedly. "It was very late when young Mr. Lupin here was injured."

"And it was very late when I saw Filch. And there wasn't a drop of blood on the ruddy cat. Surely a cat that engaged in such a heated battle would be bloodied up a bit?" He waved a hand at Remus's wounds. "She would have been covered in blood!"

"Well, then he gave her a bath."

"I'm not a bloody idiot, you blithering arse-hole!" Sirius screamed in frustration, spinning around to gift Madam Pomfrey with one of his fiercest spouts of temper in a good long time. "The cat didn't do this! Whatever did this could have eaten that accursed cat for dinner and begged for blooming seconds!"

"Mr. Black, lower your voice!"

"No! I WILL NOT LOWER MY VOICE," Sirius shouted, stomping his foot. "Tell me what did this to him!"

Madam Pomfrey pressed her lips together. "Mr. Black, for the final time, shut your…."

Sirius bellowed at the top of his lungs, and it echoed loudly against the ceiling.

"Stop acting like a child!"

Sirius ripped Remus's pillow out from under him and threw it at Pomfrey. It hit her squarely in the face and she stumbled backwards.

"Tell me what did this, or so bloody help me…."

"I did it."

His voice was quiet, almost inaudible, but it contrasted enough with the general chaos of Sirius's ranting to be heard.

Sirius froze in mid stomp. Even Pomfrey, who had been ready to order an eternity's worth of detention, closed her mouth. They both stared incredulously at Remus, who sat very still in the center of the bed.

"What?" Sirius managed to ask rather stupidly. He shook his head and continued to stare at Remus.

"I did it."

Sirius whipped his head around to look at Pomfrey, but her eyes were closed.

"Right." Sirius forced a chuckle. "Good one, Lupin."

"I'm not joking." Remus looked intently at Sirius. "I did it to myself. All of it."

"But…why?" Sirius whispered, the fake laugh dying almost as soon as it had been born.

Remus shrugged. "It happens."

"Mr. Black, I think you should go." Madam Pomfrey came over and took Sirius's arm in an iron grip. Sirius was too stunned to argue. He just stared back at Remus in horrified disbelief as the nurse dragged him from the room.

Remus closed his eyes. He listened carefully, but Sirius didn't say another word. He heard the outer door to the hospital wing close, and the slamming door seemed, in that moment, to be the sound of a lid being thrown on a coffin.

He felt fresh tears well up in his eyes, and he let them do what they would. He curled up on his side on the bed, heedless of the pain of wounds shifting and ripping. What did that matter now? He had lost his friend.

Sirius wouldn't be his friend now. No one would ever be his friend again.

Who wanted to be friends with a boy who hurt himself?

No one.

Hot tears trickled down his cheeks and dampened the sheet beneath him.

_We're friends now, right?_

Who would want to be friends with a werewolf?

Nobody in the whole world.

_We're friends now…right?_

"No," he whispered. Suddenly, for a twelve year old boy with a lonely, gruesome secret, the years leading through adolescence and then up and beyond adulthood were far too many.

Alone with his misery, not caring a bit if the next full moon saw him dead, Remus pulled the covers over his head and quietly sobbed himself to sleep.


	5. Chapter Five

_(Writer's Note: This story was written in 2003. I posted the first four chapters then, and I'm posting the rest now. The standard disclaimers apply. I own none of these characters. I'm merely borrowing them.)_

"I can't believe he skived off without telling us."

James lay on his back in the courtyard and stared up at the clouded sky.

"I can," he replied simply. Sirius, after leaving the Great Hall so abruptly at breakfast, hadn't bothered to come to any classes. Oddly enough, the teachers didn't seem to put out by the fact. They had digested the fact that he wasn't there and calmly gone on with class.

James idly chewed on a blade of grass, and Peter stretched out on his portly stomach and contemplated his wand.

"Should we go to the hospital wing, you think?"

"Don't bother." Both boys looked up at the curt voice.

Sirius stood over them, his face pinched and pale. There was a malicious glint to his eyes that both boys recognized far too well.

Sure enough, Sirius had his wand in his hand and was already surveying the random students sprawled out taking in the air.

"Pick one," he said to James. "And be quick about it."

James swiftly sat up and straightened his crooked glasses. Bright blue eyes scanned the various faces within range.

"What about - that one?" He pointed to a dozing boy in black and yellow leaning against the steps.

"No. No, I want a Slytherin. Find me a Slytherin."

James smiled slyly and immediately pointed out a new target.

"Him."

"As you wish." Sirius rolled his wand between his palms as his eyes fixed on the intended victim. Pulling his wand up and behind his head, he sliced it violently forward.

_"Tarantallegra!"_

Severus Snape found himself throwing his book aside, leaping to his feet, and dancing. His eyes bugged out of his face as he stared down at his tapping toes, and then he looked up, his eyes darkening.

Sirius watched him with a smirk, arms crossed over his chest. "Dance, little snake, dance!"

A chorus of laughter started on cue, as if prodded by an invisible conductor. Severus, utterly applauded by the fact, found his eyes filling with tears. As his lanky legs continued to dance merrily, he groped for his pocket and fished out his wand.

"I don't think so, Severus." James quickly brandished his own wand. _"Expelliarmus!"_

His wand came flying at James, and he caught it easily.

"Severus? Is that his name?" Sirius snorted as he saw the panicked look on Severus's face. "More like Snivellus. Boo hoo."

Peter giggled and stood up, his chubby face alight with glee. "Snivellus! Snivellus!" he chanted, clapping his hands together.

Severus struggled to breathe as his feet continued to dance erratically around the courtyard, nearly plowing into students, who all jumped back.

"Three against one? How _brave_."

A knot of students parted, and Lucius Malfoy stepped out from among them, flanked as always by Crabbe and Goyle. His pale gray eyes were filled with contempt he didn't even bother to mask.

_"Finite Incantatum!"_

Severus stumbled to the ground.

_"Stupefy!"_

Peter soared backwards and then skidded along the ground.

James pointed his wand at Lucius. _"Expelliarmus!"_

Crabbe grabbed the wand as it sprung from Lucius's hand and casually tossed it back to him.

James swallowed nervously.

Lucius grinned.

"Go brush your hair or something, poofter. This isn't your concern."

"Ah, Mr. Sirius Black. The voice of the group, correct?" Lucius sneered at the younger boy. "You should watch who you trifle with, boy."

"Oh? _Petrificus Totalis!_" Sirius flicked his wand, and Lucius froze as still as a statue, a look of utter disgust on his face. His body quickly fell forward onto the face.

"Yeah, that's right. Nancy boy git." Sirius sneered and didn't blink an eye as Crabbe and Goyle lumbered toward him. He grinned at them, beckoning them with one hand. "Come on, you ruddy sods, come and get it!"

Crabbe cracked his knuckles and Goyle sneered.

Peter whimpered from the ground, still stunned. Sirius pointed his wand at the giants, as did James.

When James was shoved viciously from behind, he stumbled forward and fell with a grunt to his knees, both wands clattering to the ground.

"Forget about me?" a cold voice sneered.

Sirius looked over to see what was happening to his friend. That was all the time that two beefy boys itching for a fight needed. One meaty hand clamped around Sirius's wrist and wrenched the wand away. Three other clenched fists found various homes in Sirius's stomach, chest, face, anywhere contact could be made.

Sirius kicked and punched when he could, but it was like a light breeze rustling against a stone castle. Only, his breeze was impeded by two hulking castles instead of one. He was dimly aware of shouting, of a few spells being mouthed, a muttered oath or two, and the next thing he knew, he had decided to lay down, because the grass was cool and refreshingand he was losing consciousness.

* * *

Lucius Malfoy studied his face in the mirror.

"Those little WANKERS!" he shrieked, tossing the mirror aside. It exploded against the wall into countless tiny shards.

"It's just a scratch. Really," Goyle piped up helpfully. His dabbed a bit of ice on his bruised knuckles.

"A scratch? A scratch?" Lucius seethed, glaring with wild eyes at Goyle, who dutifully shrank back. "My nose is COMPLETELY ruined!"

"There are spells to fix that, you know."

Lucius arched an eyebrow at Severus, who was sitting on the floor at a distance from the rest of them. He wasn't so easily placated.

"I daresay Black will be a far uglier sight, once he wakes up."

"Excellent point, Severus. Thank you." Lucius smiled warmly at the thought.

Crabbe swiped at the purple-black ring around his eye.

"Bastard punched me," he moaned. "I can't believe he punched me."

"Come now, Crabbe, let's not have any tears. You broke his ribs, remember?"

Crabbe's bulbous face lit up. "I did."

"Yes. And his arm, and his leg, and probably his nose. Not to mention the excellent surface damage inflicted by Mr. Goyle here. Your right cross to his smarmy mouth was most commendable."

Goyle beamed. "Thanks, Lucius."

"Think nothing of it." He leaned back in the armchair. "Some people need to learn that you just don't mess with Slytherins. Not while I'm around. Right, Snape?"

Severus looked up from the floor. "Right, Malfoy," he said, his voice low and soft.

"We sure showed them." Crabbe flexed his bloodstained fingers. "We showed them."

"And this is only the beginning." Lucius stood up and crossed the room, fetching a decanter of butterbeer from under a floorboard. He accio'd four glasses and poured a liberal amount into each, passing them around. "Let's drink, shall we?"

"To broken limbs?"

"To blood?"

"No." Lucius smiled widely. "No. To a long, beautiful, and torturous rivalry." He looked pointedly at Severus. "To the ruination of the lions."

Crabbe and Goyle grinned and tapped their glasses together, nearly breaking them. Lucius continued to watch Severus, his glass poised in the air just below his lips. Severus looked up at Lucius and slowly raised his glass.

"Cheers."

* * *

"Is it Gryffindor day? Shall I hang up a red and gold banner?"

James and Peter bowed their heads slightly.

"Well, is it? Shall I paint the bedpans red and gold? Hmm?" Madam Pomfrey pressed her hands against her hips.

"I think the bedpans are fine the way they are," Peter replied meekly.

James sighed wearily and peered at her through the one lens that remained in his glasses. "Is he going to be all right?"

Madam Pomfrey glared at James. "Are you going to scream and throw a pillow at me if I tell you I don't know?"

"What?"

"Never mind." She wiped her hands briskly against her apron. "A fine mess of trouble you boys got into today. I hope Filch gave you a week of detention."

"Actually, he gave us two weeks."

"Even better." She pressed a hand into each of their backs and shoved them toward the door. "Get. I have work to do, thanks to you."

"We didn't beat the tar out of Sirius!" James replied angrily.

"Oh, no, of course you didn't. I'm sure you didn't do anything to provoke it either."

Madam Pomfrey opened the door. "Maybe you can visit him later. It depends on my mood."

She pushed them out into the hall and shut the door in their faces.

"What crawled up her bum and died?" James muttered, glaring at the door. "I don't know." Peter worked his lip between his teeth.

James raised his hand to knock, thought better of it, and let his hand fall back to his side.

"I suppose we better get to detention," he stated with resignation.

Peter slowly nodded. "I hope..."

"Hope what?"

"I hope we don't have to meet - you know - _John_."

James smiled darkly. "Somehow, I think Filch has something even worse in mind for us." He shoved his hands into his pockets and started down the hall, Peter reluctantly falling into step behind him.

* * *

Sirius groaned, his head turning from side to side. Madam Pomfrey shook her head and upended a small vial into his mouth. He spat it out violently.

"Even asleep, he's a little twit," she muttered, sighing wearily. Every hour, on the hour, since Sirius had been admitted into the hospital, she had tried in vain to give him the bone- mending potion.

Soft footsteps sounded behind her.

"Is he he going to be all right?"

Pomfrey looked up at Remus, who was washed and dressed in clean pajamas. He stared bleakly down at Sirius.

"He'll live. He's a mess, though. Broken bones, bruises, scrapes, cuts." She clucked her tongue and shook her head. "Reckless boy."

Remus gazed sorrowfully at Sirius. Even with only the dimmest of oil lamps to illuminate the room, the damage was glaringly evident. One side of his face was swollen and purple, both eyes were ringed in blackened bruises, and his lip was torn and crusted with dried blood. Remus was glad that there was a blanket to cover the rest of it.

"He did it because of me," he whispered to no one in particular.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Pomfrey gave him a look. "You shouldn't be up and about just yet."

"Usually I'm back in my room by now."

"Yes, you are. Usually." Pomfrey fetched another vial from the nightstand. Tipping it into Sirius's mouth, she squeezed his lips together. He writhed and tried to spit it out, but eventually his body gave in and let the medicine go down. "There. The bones should be healed by morning. The restwill heal with time." She stood up and stretched. "Get some rest, Mr. Lupin. I need to do my rounds." She smoothed the blanket around Sirius, patted Remus on the head, and quietly walked away.

Remus gingerly sat down at the side of Sirius's bed once Pomfrey was out of sight. His left hand, the knuckles bruised and scraped, rested limply on top of the coverlet. Remus lightly pressed his own over it.

"I'm sorry," he whispered brokenly.

Sirius didn't move. Even as the shadows deepened and the darkness of night crept in through the windows, he remained still.

Pomfrey walked by several times, each time vowing to ship Mr. Lupin back to his own bed. But each time, something kept her from doing so.

Hours later, after taking a quick nap and seeing to her more serious cases, she walked by again, this time certain she would insist that Remus get some rest.

What she saw made her stop and smile.

Remus was stretched out on the bed beside Sirius, his eyes closed, snoring lightly. One arm was draped protectively over Sirius's stomach.

Pomfrey shook her head disapprovingly, but the smile still played at the corners of her mouth. It wouldn't do to wake him up; he did need his rest. So she clucked her tongue once, shook her head again, and walked away, her whisper light footsteps barely making a dent in the silence of the hospital wing.


	6. Chapter Six

_(Writer's Note: This story was written in 2003. I posted the first four chapters then, and I'm posting the rest now. The standard disclaimers apply. I own none of these characters. I'm merely borrowing them.)_

Sirius opened his eyes and yawned. He stretched his arms over his head, yawned again, and rolled over on his side. He blinked in confusion.

"Brutus?"

Lying beside him was a teddy bear. An average muggle teddy bear, with brown fur and beady black eyes.

Sirius frowned and rubbed his fists over his eyes until he saw stars. He then opened his eyes again.

The teddy bear was still there. He sat up, very confused. He glanced around and saw that he was in his old bedroom. The bedroom at his mother's house.

"What the hell?"

"Something wrong?"

Sirius looked at the teddy bear again. It smiled at him pleasantly.

"Hey, Brutus." For some reason, the fact that his long since destroyed teddy bear was talking to him seemed to make perfect sense.

"Jolly good day to you, Master Sirius. How goes it?"

"Hey, didn't Mum like throw you away or something?"

"Oh, yes, Master Sirius. She tore off my limbs and set me on fire." He waved one fuzzy arm, which was attached to the shoulder with heavy black stitching. "Rather nasty woman, your mother."

"Tell me about it." Sirius leaned back against the headboard. "I told Andie that Mum would rather see me avada'd then cuddling a teddy bear."

"Indeed, Master Sirius. Not only am I a muggle object, I am also exceedingly soft and huggable. Things your mother quite detests."

"Uh huh." Sirius patted the bear absently on the head and glanced around the room again. "Aren't I at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, Master Sirius. You're in the hospital wing."

"I am?"

"Oh, yes. You're quite a sight, really."

"Good or bad?"

"Awful."

"Brilliant," Sirius groaned. "Ruddy brilliant."

"Yes, well, you may have inherited your relatively good nature from God knows what, but you certainly have Mrs. Black's temper."

"Merlin's arse, don't tell me that!" Sirius glared at the teddy bear.

"It's true." Brutus shrugged his stitched shoulders. "I call them as I see them, Master Sirius."

"Sod off. Stupid ruddy dream." Sirius flopped back down and pulled the covers over his head.

"So what do you say?"

"Say to what?"

"One last cuddle? Before you wake up and realize what a sissy dream you had?"

Sirius stuck out his tongue at the bear. "Go away."

"I want to cuddle."

"No."

"Don't make me get violent."

"What are you going to do? You're a bloody toy."

"I'm a dead toy resurrected in a dream world of my own making. Want to take me on?"

"You're a teddy bear."

Brutus inched closer to Sirius. "Come on, you know you want to cuddle."

"Like hell I do."

"Please?" Brutus pouted.

"Will you go away if I do?"

"Maybe."

Sirius raised an eyebrow.

"All right, fine. I'll go away."

"Good." Sirius draped his arm over the teddy bear and pulled it against his chest.

"G'night Brutus."

"Good night, Master Sirius."

* * *

"Have fun, brats!" Mad cackling echoed against the ceiling, and then the door slammed.

James and Peter looked at each other.

Delighted humming sounded from the other side of the locked door.

"Filch?" James leaned heavily the wall.

The humming increased in volume.

"Filch!"

"What?" he snapped.

"Can we clean your toilet?"

"Nope."

"Please?" Peter whimpered.

"No!"

James and Peter looked at each other again.

"Stop your lollygaging!"

"How do you know we're, er, lollygaging?"

"I can see you." A tiny peephole opened at the top of the door. Filch laughed maniacally at the stunned expressions on the Gryffindors' faces. "Oh, I'm not missing this, boys. I'm going to enjoy this."

James swallowed thickly and turned toward the center of the room. Peter blinked his watery eyes and looked at anything but.

"But..."

"Stop your sniveling and get washing!"

"But..."

"I can add Hagrid's to the pile. Would you like that?"

"Er, no. But thanks for the offer." James squinted through the one lens of his glasses. Peter closed his eyes and prayed for a miracle.

But there were no miracles, not for the two Gryffindor boys in Filch's gleeful clutches.

There was only a bar of soap.

A bucket.

A towering heap of dirty underwear.

And their hands.

* * *

The first rays of dawn filtered into the hospital wing, illuminating the sleeping wards in soft washes of pink and gold. Someone one coughed and settled back to sleep, and a few other students snored and shifted under the blankets.

Madam Pomfrey was perched in a chair near the windows, her head nodding in time to her deep breathing. She would have been horrified to find out that she was snoring quite loudly, if anyone had been awake to tell her.

Sirius murmured something in his sleep and shifted closer to the sleeping body wrapped snugly in his arms. The light was starting to fall against his face, and he grimaced and moved closer to the bundle in his arms.

"Brutus, you liar," he muttered, blearily opening one eye. Seeing Remus's face so close to his, both eyes snapped open.

Remus continued to doze, a slight smile on his lips, which had regained a blush of color. Sirius blinked and shook his head. More than a little stunned and confused, on top of aching in every possible muscle, he froze for a moment. He then sat up with a start and a wince, staring down at the boy in his bed. So much for resurrected teddy bears. Wondering what sort of strange drug Pomfrey had given him, he took a furtive look around to make sure no one was watching and slowly lay back down.

His face felt like someone had slapped him around with sandpaper. Merlin only knew what he looked like. He silently cursed Crabbe and Goyle. It was far too early in the morning to think about the fact that the two Slytherins without a brain cell between them had kicked his arse. So he watched Remus sleep instead. He propped his elbow against the pillow and cupped his hand around his chin, his swollen eyes fixed on the boy. It just didn't make any sense. He could still see the vicious marks on his arms and chest, even though they were, at the moment, covered in pale blue cotton.

"I wish you would tell me why," he whispered, letting his head fall back to the pillow. He felt fatigue creeping up on him again, and he fought back a yawn.

"It just doesn't fit." He looked at Remus as if he expected him to wake up and give him the answers right then and there. "Why?"

Remus burrowed closer to him, his thin, uncovered frame shivering. Sirius sighed and pulled the blanket over the both of them.

"I'm going to make you tell me, you know." Sirius yawned loudly. Remus tossed his arm over Sirius's stomach. Sirius casually pushed it aside, but it stubbornly flopped back over.

"You're an odd one," Sirius murmured, yawning again. "But I like you." He pulled the blanket over their heads and sleepily snaked his arm around Remus's stomach.

"And if anyone asks...I can always say I thought you were Brutus."

* * *

"...and they were so stiff they could have danced across the room!"

"And the smell!"

Sirius burst into laughter, his dark eyes brimming with mirth.

"Stop making me laugh, you troublesome gits. It hurts!"

The four of them just laughed all the harder.

"It hurts! Bugger me..." Sirius pressed his hand against his side and fell dramatically onto his back. He loved the underwear story, and he especially loved how it became embellished more and more on every telling. He was willing to bet that on the next telling, Filch's mountain of underwear would sprout fangs and claws.

"I wonder what Filch will come up with next. Perhaps a sponge bath?"

"Ewwwww!" Remus found himself assaulted by three pillows.

"Don't even say that out loud! He could be listening!" Sirius shuddered.

"I rather eat a Dungbomb than see Filch naked."

"James, I rather DIE."

The four boys broke into another giggle fit.

"You blokes saw Lucy's hair, didn't you?"

"Who could have missed it, Sirius? It was bright pink!"

He grinned widely. "Suits him, doesn't it?"

"And to think that we thought you had been taught a lesson," James said with mock solemnity, winking over at Peter.

"Me? Learn? How thick are you, Potter?"

James snickered and ripped open another bag of Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans. He shook them into a bowl and passed it around.

"You did a brilliant job of playing the penitent for, what, all of a week?" Remus smiled at Sirius and took a handful of beans before passing the bowl to Peter.

"A week and a half, thank you very much." Sirius wagged an eyebrow and snitched one of the beans out of Remus's hand. He popped into his mouth, chewed, and then spat it out. "Ugh, vomit."

"Serves you right."

Sirius crossed his eyes at Remus and stuck out his tongue. Remus just shook his head.

"So, what did Stupid and Brainless have to say when you made Lucy pretty?" James asked, popping a handful of beans into his mouth.

"They were distracted by the sudden appearance of Mr. Pettigrew here with a plate full of cakes."

James and Remus laughed, and Peter grinned.

"I ran for show, and by the time they caught up and wolfed down the cakes, Malfoy had pink hair."

"Brilliant. Well done." James patted Peter on the back.

"You didn't hear the best part." Sirius smirked and leaned forward. "Cakes had a special ingredient."

"Which was...?"

Sirius stretched out on the floor and tossed a bean into the air, catching it with his mouth. "Let's just say that Messieurs Crabbe and Goyle will be spending a fair amount of time in the loo tonight."

James howled, and was forced to remove his glasses to wipe tears from his eyes.

"And that," Sirius paused, gesturing toward Remus with one hand, "was our Mr. Lupin's clever suggestion."

"Indeed?" James snickered, his face red. "Good work, Mr. Lupin."

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Remus replied with a half bow.

"Blimey, I wish I hadn't been cornered by McGonagall. I would have loved to seen it."

"What did she want anyway?"

James paused to pop back a few more beans. "Well, actually, she wanted to ask me if I'm trying out for the Quidditch team next year."

"Really?" Sirius looked at him. "You should, mate. You really should."

James shrugged. "I don't know..."

"Come now, Mr. Potter. No false modesty among friends. You're a bloody amazing flier."

"You should have tried out this year," Peter agreed.

"And miss out on hanging out with you losers?" James snickered, a faint blush to his cheeks.

"I'm sure we can adjust our pranking schedule to fit around Quidditch practices. If we must," Sirius sighed, his eyes sparkling impishly.

"How very noble of you, Mr. Black." James laughed and scratched the back of his head. "Maybe I will."

"Then it's settled." Sirius smiled and then yawned.

"Is someone sweepy?" James asked in a high-pitched baby voice.

"In case you're forgotten, James, I was recently wounded." Sirius smiled suddenly. "Hey, what did you do to Snivelly? I was a bit...distracted."

"Getting pounded will do that to you." James smirked slightly. "Well, greasy git shoved me from behind, and I wasn't expecting it, so of course I fell, dropped the wands, and broke my ruddy glasses." His eyes narrowed slightly.

Peter's eyes were narrowed, too. "If I hadn't been stunned, I would have...I would have _hexed_ him!"

"Oh, there will be plenty of time for that in the future, I'm sure," James replied dryly. "Stupid prat. I could see Sirius here getting pummeled, but the greasy wanker wouldn't let it go! I shoved him, he came back for more. I stunned him, he stunned me, he wouldn't let it go. So..."

Remus just looked at him blankly, and Sirius leaned forward. Peter was smiling; he obviously already knew what James had done.

"So...I threw an _Incendio_ at his robes. That got him off of me, and I went to help you, but Stupid and Brainless had already let you fall and gone for their fallen princess."

"You set him on fire?"

"Sure did."

"Impressive. Sounds like something I would have done," Sirius remarked offhandedly.

Remus stood up and stretched suddenly.

"I'm getting tired. I think I'm going to go back to my room."

James looked at his watch. "Wow, it is pretty late. Where did the time go?"

Sirius just laughed. "So much for a girly slumber party. I'll walk you back to your room, Remus."

"I think I can manage to find it on my own."

Sirius just gave him a look.

"All right, fine. G'night James. 'Night Peter."

"Good night, Remus." They both gave a wave and started to pick up the wayward beans that had fallen from the bowl. James chucked one at Peter, and he squealed and threw a handful back.

Sirius shut the door behind him as he and Remus stepped into the hall. The sound of beans hitting the wall and loud laughter followed them. Sirius just shook his head bemusedly and shoved his hands into the pockets of his flannel pajamas.

Remus walked silently beside him, occasionally shooting Sirius a nervous sidelong glance. It had been nearly two weeks since their mutual night in the hospital wing, and Sirius had yet to confront him. Knowing Sirius as he did, he had expected a very loud and belligerent demand for an explanation, for a reason.

But one hadn't come. In fact, it was like nothing had changed. James and Peter didn't give him strange looks or avoid him. They just seemed happy to see that he was feeling better.

And Sirius...what was he thinking? Remus watched him out of the corner of his eye. He walked casually down the hall, whistling off key, dark eyes focused straight ahead.

_You haven't let this go. You never let anything go. What are you waiting for?_

Sirius's eyes shifted toward Remus.

_What are you playing at?_

He had woken up on that early morning in the hospital wing wrapped tightly in a pair of arms...with his arms wrapped just as tightly around the other...and he hadn't even realized he had fallen asleep next to Sirius.

Poor Sirius would have been horribly embarrassed, Remus knew that, but oddly enough, he had simply felt comforted. Fully expecting to lose his friend once the reality of a new day set in, once Sirius remembered what he had said about his wounds, he had simply closed his eyes and listened to Sirius's slow and steady heartbeat.

He realized Sirius was staring at him and turned beet red.

"What?"

"I asked you a question. What were you thinking about?"

"Oh, nothing much."

"So...?"

"So...what?"

Sirius shot him a look. "I asked how you got your own room."

"Oh!" They were at his room. Remus blinked and shook his head. "I think there were an odd number of 2nd years or something."

"Lucky for you."

"Something like that." Actually, Sirius, I have my own room so that no one asks questions when I disappear at the full moon, he thought to himself. He wrapped his fingers around the doorknob and pushed it open.

"_Lumos_," he whispered, raising his wand. The room was illuminated quickly, and he crossed to the dresser to light an oil lamp.

When he turned around, Sirius was still standing in the doorway, leaning casually against the doorframe.

"Well, good night then."

"Good night." Sirius smiled but stayed put.

Remus raised an eyebrow. Sirius flashed a smile.

"See you tomorrow."

"Yep."

"At breakfast."

"Bright and early."

Remus carried the lamp over to his bed and placed it emphatically on the nightstand, glancing over at Sirius.

Sirius smiled.

He threw back the curtains around his bed with a flourish and looked over his shoulder.

Sirius smiled again.

"So...good night." Remus said pointedly.

"Nighty night."

"Are you going to stand there until I get in bed?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Sirius just looked at him. "Do you need to ask?"

"I just did, didn't I?"

Sirius sighed wearily. "I'm making sure you're actually going to bed."

"Sirius, its midnight. What else would I be doing?"

"Oh, I don't know...maybe hurting yourself?"

Remus turned around and sat abruptly on the side of the bed.

"Do you think that? Do you think I just sit in here at night and hurt myself?"

Sirius didn't reply. He just looked at Remus and shrugged.

A hot wave of anger washed over Remus, and his eyes narrowed. He shouldn't blame Sirius for thinking that, he really shouldn't, but the anger was still there. Did he think he was that pathetic, that sad? Did he honestly think the marks could be explained away so easily?

"You're really thick, you know that?"

Sirius' eyes narrowed. "Am I?"

"Yes!" Remus jumped up on the bed and grabbed for the curtains. "You did your duty and saw me safely to bed. Search the room, look for knives, have at! Tear it into pieces, you won't find anything!"

"So then tell me why."

"I can't! Sirius, just let it go!"

"No!" Sirius stalked over to the side of the bed, dark eyes flashing. "If you don't sit in here and hurt yourself, then tell me how you gave yourself those scars!"

"If you're so ruddy smart, figure it out for yourself!" Remus glared at him and yanked the curtains shut. Sirius pulled them open again.

"Tell me!"

"No!"

"Merlin, you're impossible!" Sirius ripped the curtains down and threw them in Remus's face before stomping out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Remus swiped the curtains off of his head and heaved them to the floor.

"No...that would be you."

* * *

Lucius sat in the plush chair perched in front of the vanity table in his bedroom and calmly traced his wand along another strand of hair. Half of his gleaming locks were a vibrant pink, and the rest were back to platinum blond. He paused to survey his work, turning his head from side to side.

"Do stop your pacing, Severus. You'll wear a hole in my rug."

Severus shot him a glare.

"Where are your half-witted companions?"

A smile played at the corners of Lucius's mouth as he returned his attention to the task at hand. He palmed another few strands of hair and traced his wand carefully over them.

"Oh, they're around here somewhere, I'm sure." Lucius picked up his brush. Scrutinizing his reflection, he brushed his hair and then raised his wand again.

"What is wrong with you?"

Lucius tilted his head to one side and looked at Severus through the mirror. He was still pacing, his dark eyes glaring.

"What's wrong with...me? You're the one pacing and seething, Severus."

"Aren't you angry?"

"Angry?" Lucius laughed merrily, gray eyes sparkling. "Why would I be angry?" He traced his wand along another pink section of hair, and it shimmered back to blond.

"They made a fool out of you."

Lucius leapt to his feet and whirled around, his wand pointed at Severus.

"No one makes a fool out of me," he said coldly, his eyes icy. "Least of all a group of Gryffindor urchins." He smiled suddenly and lowered his wand. "I think you've missed the point, Severus, darling."

"Severus will suffice." He glared and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Whatever." Lucius turned dismissively back toward his own reflection. He shook out his hair and targeted another clump of pink. "What you don't seem to realize, Severus, is that what happened tonight only proves one things."

"And what is that?"

"That they're children. Stupid little boys. Pink hair? Doctored cakes? Children." Lucius smiled at himself. "Where do they find their strength, Severus? Where do our little lions find their reason to be?"

"Cut the dramatics and get to your point. If you have one," Severus growled.

Lucius chuckled and traced his wand languidly along another pink strand.

"Ends justify the means...I trust you've heard that before?"

"To the point, Lucius."

"No." Lucius glared at him haughtily through the mirror. "Shut up and listen, Severus. So you don't make the same mistakes the lion cubs made. You don't want to be like the lion cubs, do you?"

Severus pressed his lips together, his dark eyes glittering with malice.

"That's better," Lucius cooed. He remained silent as more pink shifted back to blond.

"I suppose we could do what they do. Silly little pranks, good for a night of giggles and perhaps a mudblooded high five or two. But would that be enough?" He paused and turned to face Severus. "They humiliated you, Severus. In front of everyone. And why? Because Sirius Black was upset. Because James Potter doesn't like you." He casually studied his fingernails. "Oh, sure, they made my hair pink. I could be upset. I could even retaliate with a prank of my own."

Severus raised an eyebrow as Lucius fell silent. "But you're not going to."

"No." Lucius smiled. "Severus, why are snakes such a force to be reckoned with?"

"Because they're venomous."

"And...?"

"Isn't that reason enough?"

"No." Lucius stepped away from the vanity table to stand directly in front of Severus. "Snakes are dangerous because you never know when they'll strike. You can see a lion coming from a kilometer away. Snakes are sneakier, they whisper along the ground, unseen, unheard...until its too late."

Severus's lips twisted into a vague rendition of a smile.

"I have big plans for the Gryffindors, Severus. Don't you worry your unwashed little head on that account." Lucius smiled prettily. "You'll just need to be patient. Trust me...it will be worth your while." He patted Severus lightly on the cheek before returning to his vanity table. He sat down and picked up his wand.

"Big plans, Severus. I can see them in my head, and they're beautiful. One by one, they'll fall..." He caressed his hair with the tip of his wand. "In four, they are strong. Together, they are childish, arrogant...but strong." He smiled slyly, his eyes meeting Severus's in the silver mirror.

"But broken apart...in pieces...they are nothing."

* * *

In pieces, they certainly were silent.

James sat in front of the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room. His Transfigurations book was opened on the floor in front of him, but he didn't give it so much as a glance. He frowned thoughtfully at the flickering flames and tapped a quill against his knee. The last couple of weeks had been...interesting, to say the least. The Slytherins had left them alone; more than that, they had completely ignored them. It only made James wonder what they were planning.

He twirled his quill around his fingers. The Slytherins were the least of his worries right now. He almost wished that the idea of a Slytherin revenge prank were all he had to worry about.

Instead, he had to worry about his friends.

He glanced over at Peter, who was carefully reading a chapter in his Transfigurations book.

"Have you talked to Sirius yet today?"

Peter shook his head and kept reading.

James's frown deepened. He was used to Sirius's mood swings, but for the last two weeks he had been in rare form, even for him. Even Remus was acting strangely. James knew they had fought about something, but no answers were quick coming from either one of them. When he asked Sirius, his eyes just narrowed and he told him to mind his own business. When he attempted to ask Remus, he got even less of a direct answer.

James dipped his quill into his pot of ink and started to do his homework. He heard someone come into the common room, and he looked back over his shoulder. "Hey, stranger."

"Hello," Sirius replied, glancing quickly around.

"He's not here."

Sirius just gave him a look. "I was just seeing who was still up."

"Right." James tapped the excess ink off of his quill and smiled pleasantly. "Where have you been?"

"Around," Sirius replied vaguely. He shoved his hands into his pockets and walked over to James, looking down at his homework. "I finished that hours ago. It's easy."

"It's also boring," James pointed out.

"Well, there is that." Sirius looked over at Peter. "The answer to that one is on page 908."

"Really? Brilliant." Peter smiled up at Sirius before flipping through the pages.

"So..." James started.

"So what?"

"So...never mind." James shrugged and wrote down a few more lines before pushing the book aside. "Are you going to sit down?"

"I..." The common room door swung open, and Remus stepped inside. Sirius's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, but he pasted on a smile and looked at James. He let his heavy satchel fall to the floor. "I'd love to sit down, mate."

James didn't even need to turn around to know who it was. "Hello, Remus."

"James." Remus nodded and adjusted the strap of his satchel before walking toward the door that lead to the boys' side of the dormitory.

"This is getting ruddy old, Sirius," James said after Remus disappeared.

Sirius was frowning at the dormitory door. "Hmm?"

"I said this is getting old." James looked intently at Sirius. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

James rolled his eyes. "Why aren't you and Remus talking, Sirius? We're not thick, and we're not blind. You two have been acting all dodgy for two weeks now."

Sirius slouched against the couch. "If he would tell me, everything would be fine."

"Tell you what?"

Sirius frowned. "Nothing."

"Sirius. We're your friends, too. Remember?" James nudged him in the side. "So tell us already. Maybe we can help."

Sirius frowned pensively at the fire for several minutes. James eventually returned to his homework, and Peter continued to read.

"It goes back to when he was sick."

James looked up, as did Peter.

"I made him go to the hospital wing, even though he insisted he'd be fine in a day or two. You already know that, so anyway. I went there the next day to see him, and he had been moved to a private room.

"Pomfrey kept telling me to come back later, but I didn't listen to her. Because, well, I don't listen to people who tell me what to do. Anyway, he was still pale and looked like he should be sleeping in a coffin instead of a bed."

"Like a vampire?"

"Shove off, Peter. Go on, Sirius."

Sirius gave Peter a withering glance. "Yes, Peter. Just like a vampire." He rolled his eyes and stared at the fireplace again. "So he was still sick. I mean, it had only been a day. But being sick didn't explain the blood on his fingers."

"Blood?" James raised an eyebrow.

Sirius wasn't going to tell them about the discovery he had made during detention with Remus. For some reason, he just couldn't. "He tried to give me some ridiculous reason, but I knew it was bollocks. He had the blanket pulled up to his chin, like he had something to hide. So I ripped it away."

He closed his eyes and pulled his knees up to his chest. He rested his chin on top of his knees and stared with darkened eyes at the fire.

James held his breath, knowing that whatever was coming next had to be bad.

Sirius took a deep breath. "He was covered in marks. Cuts, scratches, bites, gouges...it was terrible. His chest, his arms...some were still bleeding."

"Buggeration," James swore, his eyes widening behind his glasses. "What happened to him?"

"He wouldn't tell me. I shouted at him, shouted at Pomfrey, shouted just to hear myself scream...I was so mad, especially when Pomfrey tried to feed me some cock and bull story about Mrs. Norris attacking him while he was sleepwalking."

"Did one of those beef brained Slytherins get him?" Peter asked quietly.

"No. I continued to scream at Pomfrey. I even threw a ruddy pillow at her. But she wouldn't tell me. But then..." He paused and looked down at his feet. "Remus did."

"He did? What did he say?"

"He said he did it to himself."

A large blob of ink dropped from James's quill and splashed against his book.

"Wait. Wait a blooming minute here. How could he have done it to himself, as sick as he was?"

"Yeah. Didn't you have to practically carry him to the hospital wing?"

"I never said it made sense! That's what he told me, and he meant it. I asked him why he would do such a thing, and he just shrugged and said that it happens."

James and Peter were both frowning. Sirius stared glumly at the fire. It crackled merrily and remained the only sound for several minutes.

"He won't tell you why?"

"No. He just keeps telling me to let it go. Says I'm thick, that I should figure it out for myself."

"Blimey. I mean, Lupin always seemed like a quiet, loner kind of chap...but roughing himself up like that?"

"I don't get it. I don't get it at all." Sirius kicked at a ball of parchment James had crumpled up.

They fell silent again.

"What are you going to do?" James asked quietly.

"I'm going to keep an eye on him. I've been reading up on wizarding diseases in the library, trying to see if there's some sort of illness that makes someone self-destructive."

"You think it's tied to the sickness?"

"It's the only lead I have, so I'm going with it. For now." Sirius stood up and stretched his arms over his head. "Don't act strange around him, all right? Just act like everything is normal."

"What is normal?" James asked dryly.

Sirius gave a half smile. "You know what I mean. If you see him looking peaky, tell me."

"Does this mean you're going to start talking to us again?"

Sirius patted James on the head, mussing up his already disheveled hair. "Sorry, mate. I've been a prat. I just...don't know what to do."

James looked up at him solemnly. "We'll figure it out, Sirius. Want me to go sneak into the restricted section? They might have some books there."

"Don't you have homework to do, young man?" he replied with a wagging finger, although a real smile was on his lips for the first time in a long time.

James laughed and stood up. "I'll do it tomorrow morning." He patted Sirius on the shoulder. "Go on up to the room, I'll be back directly." Leaving his books on the floor, he left to run up to their room, grabbed his invisibility cloak, and came back into the common room.

"Well, I'm off." James grinned at his friends and swirled the cloak over his head. The common room door opened and then shut.

Sirius gathered up James's homework for him. He glanced at Peter.

"He's not a bad kid."

"I-I didn't say he was."

"He's not, all right? He's just...there's a reason. I know there is." Sirius chewed on his lip and held the stack of books and parchment against his chest. He then pulled his satchel off the floor with an effort, slinging the strap over his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, Sirius."

"I hope you're right." He forced a smile. "I really do."

Peter tucked his few sheets of parchment into his book and stood up. "I have a proposition. Let's spend, oh, five minutes finishing my homework, and then I'll help you go through the disease books."

Sirius raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Why not?"

Sirius grinned. "It's a deal. Let's go." Slinging an arm around Peter's wide shoulders, the two boys walked side by side up to their room.


	7. Chapter Seven

_(Writer's Note: This story was written in 2003. I posted the first four chapters then, and I'm posting the rest now. The standard disclaimers apply. I own none of these characters. I'm merely borrowing them.)_

A lark chirped blissfully from outside the window, and Remus opened one eye. The room was already bathed in the golden glow of morning, which meant that he would need to hurry if he wanted to shower before breakfast.

He opened his other eye. The bird continued to sing merrily, and all Remus wanted to do was pull the covers over his head and sleep forever or so.

He forced himself to sit. In time, he even managed to swing his legs over the side of his bed and stand.

He dully gathered a towel, shampoo, and some soap before he walked slowly toward the lavatory. He paused in front of the mirror on his way to a shower. He never bothered much with mirrors, and this was the reason. He studied his reflection with a profound sense of detachment. His face was an ashen, sickly white-gray, and his eyes were furrowed with shadows. He grinned; even his gums seemed to be colorless.

"You're going to be a real heartbreaker when you grow up, Lupin," he said to his reflection. Shaking his head, he turned away from the mirror and slowly ambled toward the showers.

* * *

A chorus of yawns exploded at the middle of the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

Sirius's head dangled limply forward, his nose precariously close to his scrambled eggs. James nudged him, and his head shot back up.

Peter snored loudly across the table, his head resting on his crossed arms. James leaned over to shake him awake, but then he just smiled and sat back down.

Sirius yawned and swiped at his eyes with his fist. "Can't we just...I don't know...forget that classes even exist?"

James yawned and realized his glasses were crooked. He straightened them wearily. "I wish."

"Coffee. We must have coffee."

"Coffee?"

"We're not at the ruddy kiddies table. Surely someone at this table drinks coffee." Sirius peered blearily down the table and noticed a pot of coffee perched on the table between a collection of 7th years.

"Hey, Thomas...can I borrow?"

The boy nodded, seeing the state of sleeplessness Sirius was in. Shaking his head, he pointed his wand at the pot of coffee and sent it down the table.

"Thanks, mate." Sirius sloshed some coffee into a glass and downed it.

"Ugh. At least add some milk or sugar or something."

"No time for the sissy stuff, James." He grimaced, his face contorting. "All right, maybe some sugar." He picked up a canister of sugar and dumped it unceremoniously into the glass.

James nudged him, and he glared back.

"You said add sugar."

"Sod the sugar, mate. Look." James inclined his head toward the door.

Sirius yawned and looked at the door. His eyes widened slightly, and he and James shared a glance. James discreetly kicked Peter under the table, and he sat up with a muffled squeak. Blinking sleepily at his friends, he slowly turned to follow their gaze.

Remus stood just inside the door, his satchel dragging on the floor behind him. He paused to catch his breath, wiping his sleeve against his clammy forehead as he glanced over at the Gryffindor table.

Sirius, James, and Peter quickly looked away, suddenly fascinated by the untouched breakfast on their plates.

"Delicious," Sirius murmured emphatically, shoving a fork full of cold egg into his mouth.

"Love breakfast," James agreed, gulping down some pumpkin juice.

"Good times," Peter added, gnawing on a piece of bacon.

Remus slowly sat down near Peter. He gave them all an odd look before shaking his head and taking a slice of toast from the basket in the center of the table. He didn't even bother with butter.

Sirius, James, and Peter continued to eat heartily.

Sirius gagged on a particularly cold glob of egg and quickly slung back a gulp of sugary coffee.

Remus raised an eyebrow, opened his mouth to speak, and thought better of it. He broke his slice of dry toast into little pieces.

"So...full moon tonight."

Sirius and James gave Peter a look.

"Well it is!" he said defiantly. He shoved another greasy slice of tepid bacon into his mouth.

James forced down a bite of soggy toast.

"So...up late studying, Remus?"

Remus glanced at him briefly. "No."

"Oh." James shoved some more toast into his mouth. "That's nice," he added lamely.

Remus gave him a look as he poured some pumpkin juice into a glass.

"Well, you know. It's nice that you don't have to study late at night, I always do everything at the last minute, I mean, I really shouldn't..." James cut himself off as Sirius elbowed his side.

Remus chucked a bit of toast into his mouth.

Peter flashed a greasy smile.

Sirius poured more coffee into his glass.

James kept his mouth shut.

"What are you up to?" Remus asked quietly.

All three boys looked startled.

"What do you mean, what are we up to?"

"We're just enjoying a quality..."

"Sugar...must have sugar..."

"I mean," Remus said softly, with all the air of a very patient professor talking to a dull- witted child, "what do you have planned for tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Oh! Tonight...full moon and all..."

"We're still working on it," Sirius replied coolly, gathering the tatters of the boys' pathetically failed attempt at acting normal.

"Ah." Remus took a sip of juice and dabbed at his forehead with a napkin. "Sounds like fun."

"Always is," Sirius replied offhandedly. He poured some more sugar into his coffee.

James pushed his plate away. "Merlin, I'm full."

"Me, too," Peter said quickly, placing his napkin neatly over the remaining food.

Remus stared down at the pile of toast bits on his plate and full glass of juice. "Me, too."

Sirius shoved another heaping fork load of egg into his mouth. He chewed it violently, swallowed, and drained the rest of his coffee out of the glass. He slammed it back onto the table.

"Are you angry at your food, Sirius?"

Sirius took his time looking over at Remus. "No, I'm not angry at my food..."

Remus just smiled. "You're always angry at something, aren't you? Nurses, friends...curtains..."

James pressed his lips together and looked down so no one could see the laugh he was battling.

Peter watched Sirius from under downcast lashes.

Sirius wasn't sure what to make of this. He was too bloody tired for witty banter. So he scowled and poured some more coffee into his glass.

"And now you're angry at the coffee." Remus shook his head. "Better watch out, Peter. If he decides to toss it, you're in range."

"You can stop at any time," Sirius replied slowly.

"Stop? And miss one of your brilliant little temper tantrums?" Remus calmly took a sip of juice.

Sirius's brow furrowed as his scowl deepened. Peter sunk down in his seat, just in case.

"Cut it out."

James scooted the pot of coffee down the table, away from Sirius.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot. I'm supposed to shut up and watch the show, right?" Merlin, what was possessing him today? He needed to save his strength to make it through the drudgery of class, and here he was picking a fight.

Sirius glared at him and tossed back another swig of coffee.

A smattering of cold sweat prickled along Remus's forehead, and he dabbed it away with a napkin.

James swallowed nervously and looked over at Sirius. "Want to quiz me on, er, the Transfigurations homework?"

"James, I have never, ever quizzed you on anything. Why would I start now?"

"Sirius complains about homework, James. He doesn't enjoy it. Book of Sirius, Chapter Two."

"You have a book?" Peter queried.

James kicked him.

Sirius stared at Remus with fury. "Keep it up, Lupin. Keep it up. Of course, you're sick again aren't you? Wouldn't be a fair fight."

"Do you actually fight, Sirius? I thought you just shouted."

Sirius slammed his hands against the table and stood. "I'll make an exception for you."

"Would you? That would be lovely." Remus dabbed the napkin against his mouth and stood.

"What the hell is your problem?"

"You, Sirius. You. I was perfectly happy being a loser, you know? Maybe books don't talk back, but at least they're always there for you. I didn't need friends. And what do you do? You make me want to be your friend, you make me care about you and your childish, stupid antics, and then you cast me aside when I don't rip out my soul and hand it to you on a ruddy platter." His fingers curled against the table, the knuckles white.

Sirius blinked, utterly speechless.

Peter and James just stared at Remus, their mouths gaping.

"Well, I better shove off before I use up my allotted words for the day." Remus pushed himself away from the table, heaved his satchel strap onto his shoulder, nodded formally at his stunned audience, and slowly made his way out of the Great Hall.

The bewildered three that remained didn't move. A few of the other Gryffindors whispered among themselves, shooting the 2nd year trio surprised looks.

Sirius slowly blinked. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly.

James shook his head.

Peter slowly smiled. "Well, he sure told you."

Sirius shot him a look.

"I think we better get to class," James said as he rose to his feet.

"What...what was that?"

James looked at his bewildered best friend and patted him lightly on the shoulder.

"That, Sirius, was a good friend who's feeling a hell of a lot of hurt."

"But...I..." Sirius sputtered.

James just patted him again. "Don't bother, mate. Just pick up your bag, and let's get to class."

Peter stood up and grabbed his pile of books. Sirius muttered under his breath and wrenched his bag off of the floor.

"What just happened?"

James steered him toward the door. "He beat you at your own game, Sirius."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

James looked at him as if the answer was obvious. "He got the last word."

"I resent what you're implying, Potter!" Sirius fumed.

"I'm not implying anything, Black. You always storm off before anyone else can get the last word. Well, Remus Lupin has just successfully claimed it. So get over yourself, close your mouth, and let's go to class."

"Have I suddenly gone insane? What is this?" Sirius glanced helplessly at Peter.

Peter just shrugged. "I'm not going to add my two Galleons to the pile. But you do have a tendency to do whatever you want and expect everyone else to just sit back and smile."

"Is this Attack Sirius Day? Did I miss something?" Sirius spat out indignantly.

James patted him on the back. "It must be the full moon. Let's get to class."

* * *

Sirius was still fuming by the time History of Magic rolled around. He glared spitefully at Binns, who continued to drone on and on in monotoned ignorance.

Remus sat in the back of the room, his face growing increasingly pale as the day progressed. He eventually gave up on pretending to care and rested his forehead against the table.

"Listen, mate, I know you're still...I suppose angry is the best word...but look at him."

"I rather throw my book at him, but if you insist." Sirius glared over his shoulder at Remus, but the glare melted immediately. "Oh..."

"I thought he was peaky at breakfast, but look at him now..."

"He's getting worse."

James nodded and pretended to take notes. "What's the plan?"

"How do you know I have a plan?"

James just smiled. "You always do."

Sirius looked over his shoulder again. "Well, we didn't find anything in the books. But I still think this pale and sickly bit factors in."

"All right."

"So...I say we continue to ignore him, because Merlin knows when we try to act like nothing's wrong, we act like guilty little gits drowning in secrets."

"Agreed. We certainly do."

"Right. So, we ignore him, do our thing...and then tonight, we watch."

"Watch?"

"You, me, Peter. Invisibility cloak, the hall outside of Remus's door."

"So we wait and see if he goes anywhere?"

"Exactly. He seemed appalled when I thought he, well, injured himself in his room. So I'm guessing he gets sick, goes a bit daft, and skitters off to parts unknown to inflict bodily harm."

James nodded. "Makes about as much sense as the situation."

"I know, but it's all I've got."

James nodded again. "It can't hurt, you know?"

"No, it certainly can't." Sirius looked over his shoulder again with a worried frown. "It can't hurt anymore than it already does."

James looked at him and then returned his gaze to his book.

Class eventually ended, as it always does, and Peter and James stood up. They glanced at each other, at Sirius, and then at Remus.

The students were quickly leaving the room, chattering away among themselves. Remus remained slumped over on the table.

They looked at Sirius. He slowly stood up, his gaze fixed on Remus.

"You blokes go ahead. I'll...get him to his room."

Peter and James looked sadly back at Remus.

"We'll be in the room, Sirius."

"See you in a bit," he replied with false joviality. James and Peter left the room, and Sirius slowly walked to the back of it.

He stared down at Remus for a long moment.

"Hey."

Remus continued to doze, a pained expression on his face.

Sirius gingerly shook him. "Hey. Nap time's over. Come on, wake up."

Remus' gray eyes slowly opened. He smiled sleepily and went to close his eyes again, but then he realized that the pillow under his head wasn't exactly a pillow. It was a book...books meant class...

He sat up quickly, a look of horror on his ghostly pale face.

"Don't worry. Binns is stupid and dead. He didn't notice."

Remus glanced nervously at the front of the room before picking up his book. He tucked it into his bag and haltingly stood.

Sirius chewed on the inside of his lip, even as he put on his casual front. It was obvious that it was taking every ounce of strength for his friend to stand, and it was even more obvious that he didn't want Sirius to notice.

So he pretended not to. "Heading back to Gryffindor?"

Remus rubbed his forehead absently. "Yes."

"Mind if I walk with you?"

Remus gave him a sidelong glance. "You're asking?"

"Would you rather I demand?"

He smiled very slightly. "Asking. It suits you."

"Just don't tell anyone."

Remus nodded and carefully hoisted his bag onto his shoulder. Sirius tried not to look too much like a mothering hen as the two boys left the classroom and started down the hall.

"About what I said in the hall..."

"Oh, that. What of it?"

"I meant it." Remus looked over at Sirius with shadowed eyes. "Every word."

"Oh." Sirius scratched the back of his head. "Well, all right. I suppose...I mean...everyone is entitled to their own opinion."

Remus would have snorted if it didn't seem like too much work. Instead, he resigned himself to a small sigh and a moment of silence.

"By the way...what exactly are you doing?"

"Hmm?"

"Your hand."

Sirius looked down. Unaware to himself, his hand had been hovering behind Remus's arm, just in case he had to catch him.

"Oh. Look at that." Sirius felt like the biggest arse in the world as he let his hand fall back to his side.

Remus kept walking. Sirius shoved his hands into his pockets and walked at his side.

"You've noticed that I'm feeling a bit ill again?"

"Are you?"

Remus gave him a look. "Yes. So I probably won't be at dinner tonight. Not that you care, of course."

"What the hell are you blathering on about? Of course I care, you git."

"Do you? You have a rather twisted way of showing it."

Sirius pressed his lips together. His fingers, snug in his pockets, curled into fists.

"I have one simple question. You won't give an answer." He called out the password to the Fat Lady and the door to the Gryffindor common room opened.

Once they were inside, he turned to face Remus.

"If you can put aside your sullen poor-me wit for a moment and listen, I have something to say."

Remus raised an eyebrow. "Say away," he whispered, leaning against the back of the couch.

Sirius tossed his bag to the floor. "First off, I care. I care a lot. If I didn't care, Lupin, would I ask you why?"

Remus shrugged, his eyes on the floor.

"I'm so angry with you right now I could throttle you. I really could. If I thought it would give me an answer, I'd do it. Buggeration, Remus. I saw those marks. I heard you say, quite casually I might add, that you did it all to yourself."

"I was trying to stop you from getting your belligerent ass sent to detention," he muttered through grit teeth.

"But you weren't lying, were you?"

He slumped more completely against the couch. "No," he whispered.

"Exactly. What did you think I'd do, Remus? Say 'oh, that's nice,' light as summer knickers, and let it drop?"

"You didn't say a word about it for weeks, and then you suddenly brought it up out of nowhere, veiled in that pathetically obvious attempt to walk me to my room."

"I'm not as thick as you seem to think, Lupin. I knew I wasn't getting an answer. I hoped...I guess I thought if I caught you off guard you'd ruddy tell me and be done with it."

"And you thought wrong."

"Yes, I certainly did."

Remus stared at the floor. "Sirius..."

"Yes?"

"It's not...I just can't tell you why."

"Why not?"

"I just can't." Remus looked up at him through his hair. "You wouldn't...you just wouldn't understand."

"I already don't understand, Remus. So it's not like much would change."

"That's just it, Sirius. Everything would change."

Sirius looked at him intently, but Remus let his gaze drift back to the floor.

"You told me to figure it out for myself."

"I did."

"Well, I'm going to figure it out, Remus. Sooner or later. What then?"

Remus trailed one hand against the couch as he started to walk past Sirius, his bag forgotten on the floor.

"I guess we'll see what happens."

Sirius watched with dark eyes as Remus passed him on the way to the stairs.

"Remus?"

He paused, one hand braced on the wall.

"Yes?"

"I'll still care. I think...I think I always will."

Remus let his hand drop from the wall.

"I hope you're right."

And in the time it took to blink, Sirius found himself alone in the common room, with only the certainty of doubt to keep him company.


	8. Chapter Eight

_(Writer's Note: This story was written in 2003. I posted the first four chapters then, and I'm posting the rest now. The standard disclaimers apply. I own none of these characters. I'm merely borrowing them.)_

"Peter, your feet are showing."

He quickly shifted his feet, hitting James in the leg.

"Ouch."

"Sorry."

"Shhh." Sirius adjusted the cloak around his face and stared at Remus's closed door.

"Sirius, we've been sitting here for three hours."

"And we'll sit here all night if we have to."

James glanced over at his best friend, who was practically sitting on top of him. "Next time I'm given an invisibility cloak, I'm asking for a bigger size."

"Good plan." "

Someone's coming," Peter whispered. The three boys fell silent at the sound of footsteps echoing from down the hallway.

"Quiet!"

Madam Pomfrey stepped up to Remus's door. Glancing from side to side, she eased open the door and went inside.

Sirius quickly stood, nearly knocking James and Peter out from under the cloak. They grabbed onto his arms and pulled themselves up.

"Let's link arms, so no one falls," Sirius whispered. "And follow Pomfrey, wherever she goes. Got it?"

"Got it." James linked his arm into Sirius's, and Sirius linked his arm with Peter's.

The door opened, and Pomfrey stepped out, Remus at her side. His pale face was slick with sweat, his gray eyes ringed with dark circles. Pomfrey looked around again, whispered something to Remus, and started down the hall.

The three boys fell into step behind them. Sirius gasped when Remus looked over his shoulder, almost seeming to gaze directly at him. But he quickly turned back around, and Sirius pressed his lips together.

Pomfrey and Remus left the Gryffindor dormitory, twisting and turning their way through the corridors. The invisible boys followed in silence.

Once more, she glanced around, and then she pushed open the main doors that lead out of Hogwarts Castle. James looked at Sirius, but he remained silent.

The grounds were completely dark, save for the squares of light from the windows illuminating the grass. Peter nearly tripped and fell, but Sirius pulled him back up.

"Tree," James murmured to Sirius. He nodded.

For Pomfrey and Remus were approaching the willow tree that had been planted a couple of years ago. The three boys stealthily stepped up beside them.

"Now, where did I leave that stick?" Pomfrey murmured. Pursing her lips together, she hunkered over at a safe distance from the tree.

"I think it's over there," Remus said hoarsely, pointing the way with obvious effort.

"You're right." Pomfrey went to the stick, which in reality was a branch. She took a tentative step toward the tree and stretched out the branch, tapping it against the trunk.

The branches started to shake, and with a sound like a groan one of them slammed against the ground.

Peter gasped, and Sirius elbowed him sharply in the side.

"Bloody hell, where is that accursed knot?" Pomfrey jumped out of the way of an attacking branch and jabbed the branch in her hand at a raised area in the trunk. Immediately, the tree froze, and a sort of door creaked open. Calmly taking Remus by the hand, Pomfrey walked toward the door and walked through.

James and Sirius shared a glance.

"What just happened?" Peter asked.

"They went inside the tree," Sirius stated in a whisper, shaking his head. "Bugger me. I wasn't expecting this."

"What were you expecting?" James had to ask.

The tree, no longer sensing trouble, raised itself, the branches still.

"I have no ruddy clue, but I certainly was not expecting this." Sirius exhaled sharply.

"Are we going after them?"

"Wait for Pomfrey to come back. Then we'll go."

"Are you sure about this?" Peter whispered.

Sirius glared at him. "No one forced you to come."

"Sirius, calm down. He's allowed to be nervous. I know I am."

Sirius looked at James, his eyes softening some. "Me, too," he admitted.

They heard a creaking sound, and three pairs of eyes turned back toward the tree. Pomfrey eased open the door, glanced around, and wiped her hands against her apron. She then nonchalantly walked back toward the castle.

"Well. Here goes nothing." Sirius steered the boys over to the branch Pomfrey had discarded. "James, you have a go."

James adjusted his glasses and squinted at the tree trunk. "All right." He picked up the branch with his free hand and tentatively prodded the trunk.

The tree creaked to life, the leaves trembling with indignation. The branches started to shift, and one of them slammed against the ground. James frowned and continued to poke around the tree.

Nothing happened, except the kindling of the tree's wrath. One swinging branch nearly landed on Sirius's head, and he jumped back with a shout, falling free of the cloak.

"Hurry, James!" He quickly righted himself and ducked back under the cloak.

"I'm trying..." More of the branches started to slam against the ground, and one hit directly in front of the boys, sending them sprawling backward. The cloak flew off and landed at a distance. James gave it a look.

"Don't worry about the cloak, find the knot!" Sirius called out, leaping to his feet. He moved swiftly to the side as one branch swung at him, only to step in the path of another one. It clocked him on the side, and he soared through the air before landing with a grunt

James navigated his way closer, leaping from side to side, the thin branch in his hand jabbing against the trunk. "I can see it...I just can't hit it right!"

Peter scampered back and forth between two branches. One of the branches knocked him down, and the second one slowly raised, hovering directly above his head.

He let out a squeak, and James turned. He jumped forward and grabbed Peter by the neck, tugging him out of the way just as the branch slammed against the ground. The force of impact sent both boys stumbling backwards. James shoved Peter toward Sirius, looked at the tree trunk with narrowed eyes, and ran toward it, darting between the branches.

"James!" Peter collided with Sirius, and they both fell to the ground and tumbled. One of the attacking branches stopped them, holding them in place as another one pulled back and violently started to swing forward...

James threw himself at the tree trunk, slamming his fist against the knot. Immediately, the tree froze.

Sirius and Peter, huddled on the ground, blinked at the motionless branch hovering within arm's reach of their heads.

The door creaked open, and James took a step back, his breathing ragged.

Sirius quickly righted himself.

"You all right, James?" he panted.

"Yeah. Peter?"

Peter slowly stood up, staring fearfully at the branch frozen closest to them. "Thanks to you, James."

"I'm glad one of us is an athlete," Sirius said, his relief evident in his tone. "That was some maneuvering. Anyway, we better get the..." He paused as the tree quivered and righted itself. "Oh, great. Great."

Dangling from one of the upright branches was the invisibility cloak.

The three of them stared up at it.

"_Accio_ cloak!" James called out, pointing his wand. The cloak started to move toward him, but the end of it was wrapped tightly around the branch.

"_Accio_ cloak!" The cloak tugged forward and then hung limply.

James sighed wearily. "Come on, before someone sees us." Watching his cloak with the sorest of regrets, he waited for Sirius and Peter to come to the door.

The three boys stood in front of the door, looked at each other, and then stepped inside.

Cold and absolute darkness greeted them.

"_Lumos_." A thin beam of light appeared at the top of James's wand, revealing three very anxious faces.

And a long, dark, low corridor. The three of them looked at it in silence.

Sirius slowly drew his wand from his pocket. James stood and moved to his left, and Peter to his right.

"You ready?"

James nodded and Peter swallowed.

"If you two want to skive out of this, I'll understand."

James looked over at Sirius. "No." He rested his hand lightly on Sirius's shoulder. "We're in this together."

Peter slowly nodded. "We've already been attacked by a tree. There's no going back now."

"Remus is our friend. If he's in danger, we're all going to help him."

Sirius smiled slightly. "Then let's go." He took a tentative step forward, and the other two followed suit.

They slowly walked down the corridor, slightly hunched, with only James's wand to light the way.

Their footsteps seemed over loud in the silence. As they continued down the corridor, a new sound filled the air.

All three came to an abrupt halt.

"Did you hear that?" Sirius whispered.

"Yeah. It sounded like..."

Sirius and James shared a glance.

"...a howl..."

Sirius tightened his grip on his wand. "Peter, get your wand out."

Peter hastened to pull his wand from his pocket, his hand trembling.

"Slow. Quiet. Stay together." The three of them cautiously continued forward, wands extended in front of them. The boys stood taller as the ceiling slowly started to rise.

The end of the corridor loomed just ahead of them. They carefully approached it and stepped into the room beyond.

Another keening howl sounded, causing the hair to rise on the back of Sirius's neck.

"Put it out."

James didn't need clarification.

"_Nox_." The tiny light illuminating the end of his wand flickered out, plunging the three boys into complete darkness.

"There's a door to the right," Sirius whispered very quietly.

"That's where the howling is coming from," Peter murmured.

"So that's where we go. Feel your way. Whatever's in there, I don't want it to see us coming."

They started to walk blindly toward the opposite wall, each boy using one hand to grip his wand, the other to feel the way.

A metallic clanking sound filled the air, and then a growl.

"Wish we had the cloak," James muttered.

Sirius squinted into the darkness. "I think we're at the doorway. I'll go first." Groping with one hand, he felt the doorframe. Keeping his hand there, he stepped inside.

The growling became more frenzied. Sirius paled and stood stock-still as James and Peter grabbed onto his arms.

"What is it?" Peter whimpered.

"Shhh."

The howling became deafening. Whatever was making it was hungry...and it smelled blood...

"What now, Sirius?"

Sirius chewed on his lip as his eyes began to adjust to the darkness. He could just barely make out a window on the far side of the room. Thin slivers of moonlight peered in through the tears in the curtains.

"Merlin. Merlin!"

"What?"

"I see...I see...look! Under the window!"

Sirius and James looked at the window.

"Eyes! Eyes!"

"Peter, shut up!"

"Red, glowing eyes! See? See? _Lumos!_"

"No!" Sirius yelled, but it was too late. The tip of Peter's wand exploded with light.

James gasped, Peter screamed, and Sirius just stared.

Under the window, straining against its binds, was a wolf. Its red, angry eyes glowed as it tugged against its chains, it's hungry gaze fixed squarely on the three Gryffindors. Saliva dripped from its gaping mouth, and razor sharp teeth reflected the light from Peter's wand.

"Holy hell." Sirius backed up against the wall. James was right there with him, as was Peter.

The wolf continued to howl and lurch toward them, the chains slapping against the floor.

The boys stared at it in dumb terror.

"Is...Remus...is he in here somewhere?"

Sirius and James shared a long, horrified glance.

"Always sick..."

"...at the full moon..."

The wolf started to tear at the manacle around its front paw with its teeth.

"The cuts...the bites...bleeding Merlin, this is why." Sirius slowly returned his gaze to the wolf, which he now knew wasn't a regular wolf.

"He's...Sirius...he's..."

"I know. No wonder he never...bloody hell..."

Peter's lip started to tremble as he cowered beside Sirius. "Why is there a wolf in here anyway?"

"It's not a wolf, Peter."

"Sure it is...look at it..."

"Stop being so ruddy thick, Pettigrew. It's not a wolf. It's a _werewolf_."

"A...a...werewolf?" Peter stammered, staring bleakly at Sirius.

"And it's not just a werewolf. It's...it's Remus."

"No way! It can't be!"

"It's the only explanation," James added quietly, nervously pushing up his glasses.

"But...a werewolf...at Hogwarts?"

Sirius stared at the werewolf, his dark eyes grim. The werewolf continued to tear at its leg, mindless to everything but freedom and the three boys standing so tantalizingly close.

"He's hurting himself," Sirius whispered brokenly.

The werewolf bayed and wrenched against the silver chains.

"We should go."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Peter bolted from the room, nearly stumbling over himself in his haste.

The room plunged into darkness. Sirius didn't move.

James placed a shaky hand on his arm.

"Come on, Sirius. We need to go."

Sirius brushed his hand away.

"Sirius..."

"Go."

"What are you..."

"Just go. I'll be there directly. Make sure Peter gets his stupid arse through the branches. And don't forget your cloak."

"Sirius..."

"Go!" Sirius shoved James toward the doorway. James started to fall, but he blindly grabbed for the doorframe.

He pulled himself up and squinted at the shadowy silhouette of his friend.

"Sirius, you can't do anything. It may be him...but right now...it really isn't..."

"I'm not going to ruddy pet him, James. I just need a minute."

James opened his mouth to argue yet again, but he knew it was pointless. Raking his fingers through his hair, he shook his head and turned back toward the corridor.

The werewolf let out a pained howl and continued to tug on its chains. Sirius pressed his hand to his mouth and slowly sat down.

_Everything would change._

_I'll still care. I think...I think I always will..._

_I hope you're right..._

Sirius raked both hands through his hair. The werewolf continued to howl at an increasingly shrill pitch.

"_Lumos_," he whispered hoarsely, fumbling for his wand. The tip of it sent off a soft white light.

The werewolf's eyes were a feral red, its jaws snapping violently together. It lurched toward Sirius, and its chains thumped against the floor.

Sirius stared at the werewolf and pulled his knees up and under his chin.

The werewolf shook its head fiercely from side to side as its curved talons scraped against the scarred floor.

"Remus...can you hear me?"

Another guttural, hungry growl, which quickly became one of frustration as the werewolf once again began to tear at the chains.

Sirius rocked back and forth, his arms clamped around his legs.

"You want to eat me, don't you?"

A splatter of blood specked the ground as the werewolf tore at its own leg.

"It's not you. Merlin. Remus..." Sirius shuddered and pressed his forehead against his knees. "Oh, Merlin. Make this a nightmare, please. Make this a bad dream."

The werewolf frenziedly started clawing at itself, its animal eyes still glaring at Sirius.

"I'm making it worse. I'm making it worse." Sirius unsteadily climbed to his feet, his wand dangling limply from his hand. "I want to make it better, and I'm making it worse. Stop it."

The werewolf howled and continued to tear at itself.

"Stop it."

Blood turned gray fur into a matted purple.

"STOP IT!"

Sirius pointed his wand at the werewolf.

"I can't...I can't...I have to go...I'm making it worse..." Letting his hand fall again, he backed out of the room, still staring at the werewolf. Even as he left the room, even as the werewolf left his vision, he continued to move backwards until he stumbled over a chair, falling without so much as a gasp onto his back.

He heard his wand clatter to the floor, but he paid it no mind. It was just a wand, after all. It was just one of his dearest friends suddenly found to be a werewolf...

_I think...I think I always will._

_I hope you're right._

Sirius stared unseeingly at the ceiling.

Everything would change.

He squeezed his eyes shut and clamped his hands over his ears, to drown out the incessant, terrible, horrible howling...

"Sirius."

_I'll still care._

"Sirius."

_I hope you're right._

"Sirius!"

His eyes snapped open. James was hovering over him, his blue eyes wide.

"Sirius, we have to go."

Sirius laughed hysterically. "He's a werewolf, James. Remus is a werewolf!"

"I know, Sirius. I know." James pulled Sirius to his feet and fetched his fallen wand.

"He's a werewolf!"

"I know, Sirius," James murmured soothingly. He placed a hand on his best friend's trembling back and started to push him toward the corridor. "It'll be all right."

"He didn't want to tell me, but now I know."

"Yes. Now we know." James looked over his shoulder once, and then he steered the two of them down the corridor, using Sirius's wand to light the way.

"I'm such a git. Stupid, stupid git! He doesn't hurt himself. No, no, the _werewolf _hurts him."

"Sirius...you need to calm down."

"Every month, this happens to him. Every full moon, he's locked away, clawed and bitten. I'm such a stupid, mindless git!"

"No, you're not. None of us figured it out. Sirius, we never would have figured it out if we hadn't seen it with our own eyes."

Sirius chewed his fingernails as James pushed open the door that led out of the tree. James kept one hand on Sirius's back as he pointed both of their wands up at the cloak dangling from one of the higher branches.

"Please work," he murmured, closing his eyes. "_Accio_ cloak!"

With the sound of tearing, the cloak floated gently down to James. He grabbed it and wrapped it around the two of them. He gave a worried glance to Sirius and started to walk him toward the castle.

Sirius didn't make another sound. He walked in silence next to James into the castle, through the corridors, and into the Gryffindor dormitory.

Peter was sitting in the center of his bed. He looked up as the door to the room opened.

"James?"

The cloak fell to the ground.

"Peter, help me get him into bed."

Peter hurriedly left his own bed and walked over to James. Sirius stared blankly at the floor.

"Sirius."

He shook his head and raised his hand.

"Quiet. You're making it worse. He can smell you..."

James and Peter shared a troubled glance.

"We'll be quiet, Sirius. Let's get you to bed, shall we?" James nodded to Peter, and the two boys each claimed an arm.

They led Sirius to his bed and somehow managed to get him onto it.

James pulled the covers up with shaking hands.

"James. James!" Sirius grabbed onto James's arm.

"Yes, Sirius?"

"Is everything going to change now?"

James closed his eyes, and Peter bowed his head.

"I think I'll always care...you know...?"

James opened his eyes and smoothed back Sirius's hair. "Go to sleep, Sirius. Everything is going to be all right." He tucked the covers under Sirius's chin.

Peter's lip quivered as he took several steps back. Gazing sorrowfully at Sirius, he turned and went back to his own bed, tugging the curtains shut.

Sirius closed his eyes. James watched him for a long while, tears in his eyes. Once Sirius's chest started to rise and fall to slumber's pace, he pulled the curtains shut.

He could hear Peter's muffled sobbing as he numbly went to his own bed. Still in his uniform and robe, he crawled to the center of his bed and fell onto his back.

"Merlin help us," he whispered to the ceiling, which blurred as the tears startled to trickle down his cheeks.

"Merlin help us all."

* * *

The curtains were softly pulled shut.

Sirius's eyes shot open.

He listened as James got into his own bed. He could hear Peter sniveling from the other side of the room.

He sat up, arms wrapped around his raised knees. He rocked back and forth.

He needed to calm down. He needed to stop feeling so...

_Mad?_

He pressed his lips together. He needed to think about this logically.

Remus Lupin was a werewolf. That was his big secret. He carried a collage of cuts and bites along his chest and arms because the werewolf inflicted them. Locked away, nothing to kill, he hurt himself instead. He probably didn't even remember doing it. He just had to deal with the pain of it afterwards.

This is why the boy was always so peaky the day of the full moon. Because that night, when the moon rose, he would change into a werewolf. The next day, he would be covered in scratches, because the werewolf got bored and had to hurt someone.

He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against his knees.

He could still see the red, feral eyes, staring at him hungrily.

But stronger than that was the image of two haunted gray eyes ringed with shadows.

He wasn't going to let this change anything. He could keep the two separate...couldn't he?

I mean...how would Remus react to the truth about the Black family? They all had their secrets...

He couldn't help the family he had been born into. And Remus couldn't help the change that overtook him at the full moon.

He slowly lay back down, his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

He saw Remus sitting in the library, reading avidly. He saw himself pulling the book away, because he had wanted to befriend the boy for a long time. He didn't know why, not at the time, he had just wanted to.

And he always did what he wanted to do, didn't he?

He forced himself into the boy's life, because he intrigued him. Because there was something about Remus Lupin that called to him...he didn't know what it was, exactly. Maybe he never would.

But all that aside, James and Peter had just as quickly accepted him. He had wondered at first if James was just nice to Remus because Sirius liked having him around. But when James had told him a couple of weeks after Remus started hanging out with them that he couldn't imagine him not being a part of the group, he knew it real.

He was meant to be part of the group. Surely Fate didn't bother with such trifles, like a group of twelve-year-old boys, but it sure seemed like she had made an exception.

Was he to be cast aside now?

Full moons were only one night a month.

What about the other thirty nights?

The thought of Remus sitting alone in the library ever again made Sirius sad. Even sadder than the idea of him as a werewolf wanting to tear him into pieces.

He shoved his face into the pillow. He wouldn't sleep tonight. He would continue to see a snarling werewolf in his mind's eye, followed by a small, thin, sad boy with eyes like storm clouds and light brown hair.


	9. Chapter Nine

_(Writer's Note: This story was written in 2003. I posted the first four chapters then, and I'm posting the rest now. The standard disclaimers apply. I own none of these characters. I'm merely borrowing them.)_

"I think we're going to have to keep him for the weekend. If not longer."Madam Pomfrey looked over at Professor McGonagall as she wiped her bloodstained hands against her apron.

McGonagall nodded and looked sadly down at the body shivering pitifully in the center of the bed. His face was the color of alabaster, the veins along his face startling blue in contrast.

"He had a bad time of it last month, Minerva. But this is the worst I've seen him. Ever."

"But he will be all right, won't he?"

Pomfrey pursed her lips together and looked down at the bed. "He lost a lot of blood. If he had torn any deeper, he probably would have bled to death before the moon set."

"Something must have excited him," McGonagall mused.

"I suppose a rabbit or another animal might have gotten in...but didn't Dumbledore put a magical seal on the shack?"

"It wouldn't have been an animal, Poppy."

The two women shared a glance.

"Do you think...?"

"I'll take care of it." She looked down at Remus again before looking at the nurse. "Keep me updated, will you? I don't want to lose one of the brightest members of my house."

"I will, Minerva."

"Thank you." McGonagall smiled slightly and left the private room.

Pomfrey sat on the edge of Remus's bed and pressed the back of her hand to his forehead. She frowned and pulled the covers up to his chin.

"Well, Mr. Lupin. I haven't been bested by a student yet, and I don't intend to start now." She pressed two fingers against his limp wrist before slowly standing. The wounds were bandaged, and every magical aid she could think to give him had been administered. The rest was up to him.

* * *

"Sirius? We're going down to lunch."

The curtains around his bed remained closed, and silence was the only response.

"Sirius?"

"Not hungry."

James rubbed his forehead and looked over at Peter.

"Do you want us to bring you anything?"

"Did I say I was hungry?"

"Fine." James tried to think of something cutting to counter with, but he was just too sad and worried. "See you later then." He waited for a moment, in case Sirius changed his mind, but the curtains remained closed.

James and Peter trudged down to the Great Hall and sat down automatically.

"Did you sleep at all?" Peter asked quietly.

"Not really. You?"

Peter shook his head.

James halfheartedly put a sandwich onto his plate. Exhaustion and lingering shock from the night before easily overpowered any hunger he might be feeling, but he figured he'd at least try to eat.

Peter yawned and poured a glass of juice.

"So. I'm worried about Sirius."

Peter barely looked up as he grabbed a sandwich.

"He was scary last night. You know?"

"Not nearly as scary as the werewolf," Peter muttered.

"Keep your voice down. And no...no, he wasn't..." James rested his chin in his hand and stared glumly at his plate.

Peter ate his sandwich in silence, and James forced down a few bites.

"I just can't believe it."

"Neither can I." James scratched the back of his head. "I just...bloody hell, I don't know what we're supposed to do now."

"I rather not be friends with a werewolf," Peter stated bluntly.

James looked over at him. "What do you mean? It's not like it's his fault."

Peter shrugged. "What if he attacks us?"

"It's not like he's always a ruddy werewolf, Peter. It's only at the full moon. That's why they lock him up. So he doesn't hurt anyone."

"I still rather not be friends with a werewolf."

James was staring beyond Peter's shoulder. He nudged him sharply with his foot.

"I mean, I never liked him. Not really. And now that I know he's a werewolf...such creatures shouldn't be allowed around normal kids..."

"Is that so, Pettigrew?"

Peter froze. James shook his head and closed his eyes.

Before Peter could reply, a fist collided with his shoulder, knocking him off his seat and into a heap on the floor.

James's eyes snapped open. "Sirius!"

As the majority of the student body watched, Sirius kicked Peter in the side. He balled up and tried to squirm away.

Sirius threw himself on top of him. "Shouldn't be around normal kids, eh? Should he be locked up forever?" He punched Peter in the face. "Maybe we should just kill him? Would you like that?" He punched Peter again, and his nose squirted blood.

"Sirius!" James leapt over the table in one swift move and tried to pull Sirius off of Peter. "Sirius, stop it!"

Sirius shoved James, and he stumbled backward, landing squarely on his rear.

"I...I didn't..." Peter stammered, tears filling his eyes as blood trickled out of his nose.

"Liar! You meant every word, you limey, stinking, no good little rat!" Sirius punched him again.

James quickly regained his footing and ran toward Sirius.

"Mr. Black!" a loud, authoritative voice called out.

Sirius froze, and James grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away from Peter.

Professor McGonagall charged over to them, her green eyes flashing with wrath. "You three, come with me."

"A-all of us?" Peter whimpered, still curled up on his side.

"All three of you. Now!"

Sirius glared at her, his fingers curled into fists at his sides. James helped a shaken Peter to his feet.

"Now! Or I will personally see to it that Gryffindor House loses three hundred points!"

The Gryffindors sitting at the table froze and stared expectantly at the three boys. Realizing that McGonagall meant every word, James, Peter, and finally Sirius slowly followed her out of the Great Hall.

* * *

McGonagall handed Peter a handkerchief and immediately went to her desk. She leaned against it, her arms crossed over her chest.

Peter held the cloth against his gushing nose and sat next to James. Sirius stood in the far corner of the room.

"I have never seen such a barbaric spectacle," McGonagall stated, her narrowed eyes fixing on Sirius.

He continued to stare darkly at the floor.

"Do you have any sense of control, Mr. Black? Do you ever stop to think before you act?"

Sirius looked up briefly. "He had it coming, Professor."

"Oh, did he? And why is that?"

Sirius nervously glanced over at James. James shrugged and returned his attention to the sniveling boy at this side.

"He just did."

"I take it he didn't react well to the truth about Mr. Lupin?"

All three of them looked up with a start.

McGonagall raised one eyebrow. "Well, you were there last night, were you not?"

Sirius's startled eyes shot over to James, James's jaw dropped, and Peter lowered the bloodstained handkerchief.

That was all the confirmation McGonagall needed. She shook her head and gave each of them a stern look. "What were you thinking?"

"We didn't know, Professor!" Sirius threw out his arms. "We wanted answers!"

"And now you have them. But at what price?"

"What do you mean?" Sirius frowned.

"Why do you think Mr. Lupin, in his altered form, is kept locked away in a secret location?"

"So he doesn't hurt anyone?" James offered quietly.

"And so he doesn't hurt himself." McGonagall shook her head again. "A werewolf is a hunter. A predator."

"You think?" Sirius muttered. She gave him a look, and he closed his mouth.

"That's enough talking, Mr. Black. It's time for listening." She peered at him over the top of her spectacles before looking over at Peter and James. "When a werewolf is kept from indulging its bloodthirsty instincts on others, it tends to turn on itself. Usually, Mr. Lupin is scratched and bitten. Some months are worse than others. But you three," she paused to look intently at each in turn, "you three not only put yourselves in danger, you put him in danger."

"We didn't know," Sirius whispered again, his eyes closing.

"Ignorance is something you shouldn't be so quick to cast aside, Mr. Black. Some questions should remain unanswered." She sighed sadly. "I have known about Mr. Lupin's condition since before he came to Hogwarts. I watched it dictate the way he lives his life. I watched him keep to himself...and then I watched him make a friend." She looked over at Sirius. "I watched him come out of his shell, and I was glad to see him acting like a normal student. I was hoping the three of you would be real friends to him. I knew you would figure out that he had a secret; you are, for the most part, bright young men. But I never thought you'd go to such lengths to get the answers you so righteously assumed belonged to you."

"I saw his scars!" Sirius interjected angrily. "And then I saw wounds that were still bleeding! Was I just supposed to forget about that?"

"You should have let it go."

"No! Come on, McGonagall. You say 'be his real friend,' and then in the next breath you say to let it go? That's not how it works. Real friends don't sit back and watch the people they care about do themselves harm."

"That's enough, Mr. Black."

"No, obviously it isn't! I'm sorry that Remus is a werewolf, I really am. It tears me up inside to know that he'll have to carry that for the rest of his life. But I refuse to apologize or feel bad for caring!"

James held his breath at that and looked nervously at McGonagall.

She watched Sirius in silence for a good minute or two. "I see what you're saying, Mr. Black. But all the good intentions in the world do not excuse the fact that you three not only broke Merlin knows how many school rules, you put your lives and the life of Mr. Lupin in grave danger."

"Is he...is he all right?" Sirius asked in a low voice.

"No, he isn't," McGonagall replied matter-of-factly. "Three young men in the same room as a werewolf is never a situation that results in 'all right,' Mr. Black. Even if you three managed to escape unscathed."

Sirius lowered his head and leaned against the wall. Peter swiped at his nose with the handkerchief and guiltily looked at Sirius.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," he whispered meekly. "I shouldn't...I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean it, not really. I'm thick sometimes, you know that. I let my fear get the best of me."

Sirius crossed his arms over his chest. "If you don't want to be his friend, then don't be."

"No. I...I do." Peter lowered the handkerchief. "I just...I didn't stop to think. About how hard it has to be. For him."

"We're a foursome now," James added quietly. "This doesn't change anything."

Sirius nodded and glanced over at McGonagall. "Is he going to be all right?"

"I don't know," McGonagall admitted. "Madam Pomfrey will do all she can, of course, but he nearly bled to death."

"And it's our fault. Bloody hell, it's all because of us." Sirius slammed his fist into the wall and pressed his forehead against it.

"Do not do this again. Do you hear me?" McGonagall looked at all of them, her gaze lingering on Sirius. "Do not, for any reason, go to him again during the full moon. It certainly does not help things, not for any of you."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," Peter replied sheepishly.

"Humans and werewolves do not mix." McGonagall walked behind her desk and sat down. "That is all."

James blinked. "Aren't you...aren't you going to punish us?"

She peered at him through her spectacles. "I think your guilt will be punishment enough."

Sirius kept his face pressed to the wall, his shoulders hunched.

James and Peter slowly stood up, sharing a glance.

"Oh, by the way. I would prefer that you do not tell Mr. Lupin that you know."

One dark eye shifted from the wall to McGonagall. "We're supposed to keep this secret?"

"Mr. Lupin has borne this secret for most of his life, Mr. Black. Perhaps it will do all of you good to have a taste of that." She gathered a pile of parchment and placed it neatly on the desk in front of her. "If nothing has changed, as Mr. Potter said, then he doesn't need to know. Correct?"

"We're not very good at pretending everything's fine," James admitted ruefully.

"Well, then consider this a learning experience. Good day, gentlemen." McGonagall nodded formally, dipped a quill into a pot of ink, and started to write on a sheet of parchment.

The three of them shared a look, shrugged, and started for the door.

Once in the hallway, Sirius came to a halt.

"We should go visit him," he stated quietly.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" James asked, just as softly.

Sirius shrugged. "Probably not. But I have to know how he is."

James nodded. "I can't stop thinking about it. About what we saw..."

"And you didn't even see the worst of it," Sirius muttered darkly. He started for the hospital wing, James at his side. Peter followed at a slight distance, the bloodied handkerchief forgotten in his hand.

Once at the hospital, Sirius eased open the door.

"Madam Pomfrey?"

She poked her head out from a side room. Her eyes immediately narrowed.

"I won't be having you causing trouble in here today, Mr. Black."

"I just want to know how he is."

Pomfrey pressed her lips together.

James cleared his throat. "We know, Madam Pomfrey. We know."

Her eyes widened slightly, but then they narrowed again. "I see."

"We aren't supposed to tell him, though," Peter whispered.

Pomfrey shook her head. "He can't have visitors at the moment. He's still...he's not awake yet."

Sirius closed his eyes. "Is that...well...normal?"

"Nothing is normal here, Mr. Black. You may try back tomorrow." Seeing the crestfallen look she received back, her face softened slightly. "I'm doing all I can for him, boys. He'll pull through. But no visitors, not yet." She nodded and disappeared back into the private room, the door shutting behind her.


	10. Chapter Ten

_(Writer's Note: This story was written in 2003. I posted the first four chapters then, and I'm posting the rest now. The standard disclaimers apply. I own none of these characters. I'm merely borrowing them.)_

By the next evening, he still wasn't awake. Sirius sat in the window seat in his room and stared blankly out at the darkness.

James and Peter halfheartedly played a game of Wizard's Chess in the center of the room.

"I'm going to bed," Sirius finally said, his voice low. He stood up, already in his pajamas, and climbed into bed, yanking the curtains shut.

He could hear James and Peter talking in soft voices, but he couldn't make out the words. Eventually, he heard the two of them get into bed.

Sirius studied the inside of his eyelids, and finally resigned himself to another sleepless night. He opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling.

_Humans and werewolves do not mix._

He sighed heavily, his dark eyes glimmering with tears.

_Three young men in the same room as a werewolf is never a situation that results in 'all right,' Mr. Black._

"Is that right?" he whispered, a sudden wave of inspiration coming to him. He bolted upright, causing the curtains to billow out.

He weighed the idea in his mind, and a slow smile started to curve his lips.

It would be impossible. Even more than that, it would be risky. And it would break countless rules; not even school rules. Wizarding rules.

It was perfect.

He threw open the curtains and hurried over to James's bed. Without preamble, he flicked the curtains open and jumped onto the bed.

"Wha--?" James sat up, his blue eyes sleepy. He fumbled for his glasses and put them on. He blinked over at Sirius, who was grinning maniacally.

"Sirius?"

"Humans and werewolves do not mix."

"Well...no. They don't." James yawned and blearily looked at Sirius through his crooked glasses.

"What if we weren't human?"

"Huh?"

Sirius smiled patiently, his dark eyes glinting. "What if we weren't human?"

"I don't follow, mate. What time is it?"

"Never mind that." Sirius shook his head. "You know, we'll talk tomorrow. Go back to sleep."

"Um, all right." James raised an eyebrow at him. "What's going on?"

"Let's just say we have some research to do. After Remus gets better, of course." Sirius stood up and opened the curtains.

"Research? On what? Werewolves?"

"Oh, no. Not on werewolves." Sirius grinned and tugged the curtains around his face. "On _Animagi_. 'Night, James." He closed the curtains and tripped lightly back to his bed.

He was feeling better already. He slept with a smile on his lips, and a plan slowly starting to come together in his mind.

* * *

And the next day, he felt better yet.

After lunch, as the boys surveyed the mountain of bounty a 3rd year was bribed into bringing them from Hogsmeade, a knock came at the door.

Professor McGonagall poked her head into the room.

"He's awake."

"Mr. Lupin, you have visitors."

Remus slowly opened his eyes. "I do?"

"Yes. They've actually stopped by six times in the last two days, but I insisted they wait until you were awake."

He struggled to sit up, and Pomfrey quickly helped him, plumping the pillow behind his back.

"All right, boys. You can come in."

Sirius, James, and Peter all walked into the private room, grins on their faces.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," Sirius said, his eyes sparkling as he sat on the side of the bed.

Remus smiled slightly. "Now I'm a damsel in distress from a muggle fairy tale?"

Sirius shrugged and smiled impishly. "I guess that makes the three of us your Prince Charmings."

James dumped an armload of goodies on the bedside table.

"All the candy we could bribe the 3rd years into buying us from Hogsmeade," James explained, pulling up a chair.

"We figure you could use it, after what happened," Peter added, pulling up a chair of his own.

A brief spark of panic flashed in Remus's eyes and his body tensed.

"That's, what, two fainting spells in as many months?" Sirius shook his head with mock chastisement. "You need chocolate, and lots of it."

"Oh." Remus relaxed and his eyes softened. "Thanks."

"Not a problem." James unwrapped a chocolate frog, caught it mid-jump and handed it to Remus. "Eat up, mate. You're still looking peaky."

Remus took the frog and slowly nibbled off one of the legs.

"I can't eat alone. I think there just might be enough for all of us."

Sirius laughed, surveying the towering pile of chocolate. "Are you sure?"

"Do you want him to eat it all and look like me?" Peter asked, patting his round stomach.

Sirius and James laughed, and soon the four of them were munching on chocolate.

"So how did the full moon prank go?" Remus asked quietly, his eyes on the chocolate frog in his hand.

Sirius, James, and Peter exchanged a look.

"Well...it went rather badly, I'm afraid," Sirius admitted.

"What happened?" Remus asked, looking from one boy to the other.

"Filch caught us again," James said, smiling over at Sirius. "It only took him a year, but somehow he managed to figure out the connection."

"Ah, so now he knows to increase his skulking about during the full moon?"

"Exactly. But...we don't admit defeat that easily. Do we, James?" Sirius asked with a wink.

"Oh, we certainly do not." James grinned. "We've changed our pranking policy."

"To what?" Remus asked blankly.

"To pranking whenever we want, wherever we want...any time but at the full moon," Sirius explained. "I'll be sorry to see the full moon go, but what can you do?"

"Yes. What can you do?" Remus smiled, and his pale face almost seemed to regain a whisper of color.

Peter shoved the rest of his chocolate frog into his mouth and chewed it quickly before swallowing. "Blimey, does this mean it's my turn again next month, since this month went awry?"

Sirius shrugged. "I suppose it is."

"No."

Sirius, James, and Peter looked over at Remus.

"I think it's about time I take my turn," he said quietly. He glanced at all of them. "If that's all right with you, of course."

"Of course it's all right with us, you silly git," Sirius replied, smiling warmly. "It's about ruddy time, if you ask me."

"Hear, hear," James echoed. "I look forward to seeing what you can come up with, Mr. Lupin."

"It can't be any worse than my pranks," Peter added with a sheepish smile.

Remus smiled widely, a twinkle to his gray eyes. "You blokes are the best, you know that?"

"Well, we had a sneaking suspicion." Sirius replied with an impish grin.

"We do have a rather brilliant thing going, don't we?" James added.

"We certainly do," Sirius replied. "We certainly do."

The four boys smiled foolishly at each other.

"All right, boys, I think that's enough for now," Madam Pomfrey called out, poking her head into the room. "Mr. Lupin needs his rest."

Sirius glanced slyly at Remus. "Mr. Lupin looks like he's feeling better already."

Remus smiled back at him.

"Well, Mr. Black, when you have your nursing marks, do let me know," Pomfrey replied, although she was smiling. "Come on, out with you."

"All right." James and Peter slowly stood up, pocketing a chocolate frog each.

"See you tomorrow, Remus."

"Get working on that prank."

"I will." He smiled at the two of them as they left.

"Mr. Black, that means you as well."

"In a minute, Pomfrey." Sirius smiled at her innocently, and she clucked her tongue and removed her head from the doorway.

He then looked over at Remus. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Me, too."

They smiled at each other for a long moment.

"Well, I suppose I better go." Sirius stood up reluctantly. Remus started to lay back down, and Sirius tucked the covers around him.

"Be a good boy and get some rest, hear me?"

Remus just nodded up at him.

"All right. I better go." He leaned over and pressed his lips lightly against Remus's forehead.

"Sweet dreams, Brutus."

"What?" Remus blinked, his face certainly colored enough now to make Madam Pomfrey clap her hands with delight.

"Nothing." Sirius mussed up Remus' hair. "See you tomorrow." He then waved, smiled widely, and whistled his way out of the hospital wing.

_The End_


End file.
